Insights and Patient Empowerment
Insights
Seems like every website has a section called “Insights” these days. But are they truly insightful?
Insight is defined as “a deep, intuitive understanding,” and sometimes as “new understanding.” As you might imagine if you’ve made it this far into our website, we think true insights are very important. In fact the whole foundation of Amaze is insight into how America’s crazy healthcare system works and how we can provide our clients and app users with the insights they need to successfully navigate the system.
Understanding Patient Empowerment
The phrase patient empowerment has been part of the healthcare vernacular in the United States for decades. Other terms you may have heard include health literacy, patient competency, and patient education.
The medical profession often assumes, somewhat insultingly, that we are incapable of understanding a diagnosis or that we lack the ability to choose between possible treatment paths. And while it is disparaging, it’s also sometimes true, especially when there are communication barriers.
Communication barriers are not just a function of language, though language can be a significant barrier. Communication can also be hindered by the stress and fear associated with medical problems; feelings of inferiority that stifle our willingness to ask questions; poor translation of medical concepts into layman’s terms; being rushed; and many cultural impediments. As is the case in most relationships, doctor-patient relationships are often challenged by poor communication.
Multiple studies since the early 1900s peg poor health literacy to inferior medical outcomes.
