[Music]
what if I told you that each and every
one of you holds these secret ingredient
to your health that’s just as important
as your doctor’s medical expertise and
training once upon a time there was a
thirteen year old girl whose mother had
overcome breast cancer and was in
remission she was feeling a bit off and
called her doctor several times before a
summer vacation with her children but
her complaints were dismissed upon
returning from the trip it turned out
she was right and something was wrong
45 days after now being diagnosed with
lung cancer she died at the age of 42
leaving behind her four children once
upon a time there was a 21 year old
young lady whose father had both cancer
and diabetes after having a heart attack
he was discharged with an extensive list
of medications and follow-up procedures
many times he tried to call his doctors
for help to make him to help him make
sense of it all but the help did not
come in time he ended up having a drug
reaction transfixed in a coma he died
two weeks later at the age of 51 once
upon a time there was a 29 year old
whose husband was extremely weak the
doctors found he had a low blood count
and diagnosed it with about of anemia he
should not be too concerned with
everyday he seemed to get weaker and his
heart felt as if it were about to
explode he pleaded with his doctors to
fix it something wasn’t right but his
complaints were dismissed a few days
later he was rushed to the emergency
room and they were shocked to find he
had a bleeding stomach tumor the size of
a golf ball if he had waited any longer
writing out his bout of anemia he most
likely would have died and that 13 year
old who lost her mother as a result of
issues in the healthcare system grew up
to be that 21 year old who lost her
father and that 21 grew up to be that 29
year old who almost lost her husband and
I’m sure you’ve guessed that that 29
year olds group to me me the voices of
my mother my father my
husband they weren’t hurt at the time
but I’m here to tell their story I am
tired of the issues in the health care
system snatching my family members well
before their time they say it gets
easier over the years and they are wrong
my sleepless nights of what-ifs feel my
passion to make a difference in the
lives of others as a patient advocate
where I help patients and caregivers
navigate their health I am angry I’m sad
I’m perplexed but I am hopeful that as
we start to amplify the voice of the
patient what happened to me and my
family will never affect yours the
patient’s life expertise is just as
important as the doctors medical
expertise and only when the two come
together and engage in an embrace and
what I refer to as the patient doctor
tango can it truly lead to a powerful
connection and ultimately a flawless
performance
now it’s neither the steps nor the
rhythm that defined the tango but rather
the unique connection that the two
partners create together and I use the
tango as an analogy because the key
elements of his dance are the foundation
to the ideal patient doctor relationship
balance partnership respect connection
continuous give-and-take improvisation
where no dance is the same intuitive
decision making to navigate the
encounter now in the ideal patient
doctor relationship the patient
expertise is embraced in partnership
with the doctors medical expertise which
is the essence of participatory medicine
or both doctor and patient are equal
partners the sad reality is that we’re
far from mastering the art and science
of the patient doctor tango the patient
story the patient voice our oldest
diagnostic tool is often overlooked in
healthcare I’d like to share a few facts
with you from recent studies that put a
spotlight on reality fact 75% of
patients were interrupted by their
doctors as they were describing their
symptoms fact doctors listened for an
average of 16 seconds before
interrupting their patients fact once
interrupted only 2% of patients
completed their story
fifty percent of doctors graduate in the
bottom half of their class one person
got that okay
opinion if doctors use their ears as
often as they use the CT scan or an MRI
it would be half the battle now in all
fairness to doctors the majority of
healthcare systems have not been
designed to embrace the voice of the
patient although there are pockets where
this is happening and this value is
being recognized in a sense it’s a new
way of practicing medicine so we have
some work to do now the Argentine tango
is a style that relies on improvisation
the traditional paternalistic approach
where man leads and woman follows
vanishes where either can now lead and
follow in a give-and-take relationship
the right partner can truly lead to a
masterpiece of a performance now in
healthcare forging a strong partnership
with your doctor is one of the most
important steps you can take in
protecting your health but the majority
of us will undergo major medical
procedures without doing our homework
without seeking the expert opinions of
other doctors without touching base with
other patients I want you to think for a
minute how did I choose my doctor was it
the recommendation of a friend because
the doctor was nice and didn’t nag them
about certain lifestyle choices was it
the first doctor you could find in an
alphabetical list you could get an
appointment with first female you could
find did you do any additional research
on your doctor when you’re renovating a
room in your house do you hire the first
contractor that you were recommended or
do you do a bit of homework to ensure
you’re making the best choice why aren’t
we placing the same value in our bodies
and our health when we’re putting our
lives in the hands of a doctor’s now if
you have a doctor you’ve been seeing how
would you describe your relationship is
your doctor a good listener did they
help you piece together and tell your
story would you share secrets with your
doctor that might be impacting your
health how many of you have asked dr.
Google a question you would never ask
your actual doctor better yet how many
of you have lied to your doctor or
conceal certain details unfortunately
many of us will lie to our doctors in
fear of judgment and embarrass
now I hate to admit this on stage but
I’ve even lied to my doctor I was once
asked if I had ever been exposed to
secondhand smoke and images of the two
packs today my dad used to smoke with me
in the car and the backseat flashed
before my eyes but I adamantly replied
no never why it was a split second
reaction and I was actually surprised
given what I do that I lied but because
I have a crazy family history and try to
pretend to be invincible and lead a
healthy lifestyle I didn’t want
something that I thought was so trivial
to be a documented strike against me I
didn’t feel comfortable enough with my
doctor to share that important
information so what happens when we lie
concealing truth concealing this story
can actually work against us it can lead
to the wrong diagnosis a misdiagnosis
and even the wrong treatment choosing
the right doctor is one of the most
important medical decisions you will
make and finding a lifelong health
partner you trust and respect and can
build a relationship with over time is
fundamental and if you aren’t connecting
with your current doctor then it’s time
to find a new one partner connection is
the heart of the tango where information
flows back and forth medicine is a
sensual science where it’s important
that we gather data about the patient
through touch and other senses
ironically the Latin derivative of tango
is tan Jetta which means to touch
mastering the art and science of the
patient-doctor tango requires us to
combine the patient’s story the physical
exam of the body the doctors medical
expertise and the tests and diagnostics
performed in a unit fine diagnosis and
once that diagnosis is made it’s
important that we translate that back
into the language and the context of
that patients life so that they
understand their condition and can make
the most appropriate treatment decision
based on that understanding many
patients are forced to learn a new
language when they enter the healthcare
system for the first time but it’s
important we provide subtitles to that
foreign flick
connection is the conversation between
the patient story in the language of
Medicine the patient-doctor relationship
is the cornerstone of health and healing
and you control a very important piece
to that puzzle your life story is
critical now I can’t rewrite history and
change my past or the countless lives of
the mothers fathers siblings spouses
whose voices weren’t heard but I can
write a new chapter and it goes
something like this once upon a time we
each learned how to tango with our
doctors and we lived happily ever after
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
you
what if I told you that each and every
one of you holds these secret ingredient
to your health that’s just as important
as your doctor’s medical expertise and
training once upon a time there was a
thirteen year old girl whose mother had
overcome breast cancer and was in
remission she was feeling a bit off and
called her doctor several times before a
summer vacation with her children but
her complaints were dismissed upon
returning from the trip it turned out
she was right and something was wrong
45 days after now being diagnosed with
lung cancer she died at the age of 42
leaving behind her four children once
upon a time there was a 21 year old
young lady whose father had both cancer
and diabetes after having a heart attack
he was discharged with an extensive list
of medications and follow-up procedures
many times he tried to call his doctors
for help to make him to help him make
sense of it all but the help did not
come in time he ended up having a drug
reaction transfixed in a coma he died
two weeks later at the age of 51 once
upon a time there was a 29 year old
whose husband was extremely weak the
doctors found he had a low blood count
and diagnosed it with about of anemia he
should not be too concerned with
everyday he seemed to get weaker and his
heart felt as if it were about to
explode he pleaded with his doctors to
fix it something wasn’t right but his
complaints were dismissed a few days
later he was rushed to the emergency
room and they were shocked to find he
had a bleeding stomach tumor the size of
a golf ball if he had waited any longer
writing out his bout of anemia he most
likely would have died and that 13 year
old who lost her mother as a result of
issues in the healthcare system grew up
to be that 21 year old who lost her
father and that 21 grew up to be that 29
year old who almost lost her husband and
I’m sure you’ve guessed that that 29
year olds group to me me the voices of
my mother my father my
husband they weren’t hurt at the time
but I’m here to tell their story I am
tired of the issues in the health care
system snatching my family members well
before their time they say it gets
easier over the years and they are wrong
my sleepless nights of what-ifs feel my
passion to make a difference in the
lives of others as a patient advocate
where I help patients and caregivers
navigate their health I am angry I’m sad
I’m perplexed but I am hopeful that as
we start to amplify the voice of the
patient what happened to me and my
family will never affect yours the
patient’s life expertise is just as
important as the doctors medical
expertise and only when the two come
together and engage in an embrace and
what I refer to as the patient doctor
tango can it truly lead to a powerful
connection and ultimately a flawless
performance
now it’s neither the steps nor the
rhythm that defined the tango but rather
the unique connection that the two
partners create together and I use the
tango as an analogy because the key
elements of his dance are the foundation
to the ideal patient doctor relationship
balance partnership respect connection
continuous give-and-take improvisation
where no dance is the same intuitive
decision making to navigate the
encounter now in the ideal patient
doctor relationship the patient
expertise is embraced in partnership
with the doctors medical expertise which
is the essence of participatory medicine
or both doctor and patient are equal
partners the sad reality is that we’re
far from mastering the art and science
of the patient doctor tango the patient
story the patient voice our oldest
diagnostic tool is often overlooked in
healthcare I’d like to share a few facts
with you from recent studies that put a
spotlight on reality fact 75% of
patients were interrupted by their
doctors as they were describing their
symptoms fact doctors listened for an
average of 16 seconds before
interrupting their patients fact once
interrupted only 2% of patients
completed their story
fifty percent of doctors graduate in the
bottom half of their class one person
got that okay
opinion if doctors use their ears as
often as they use the CT scan or an MRI
it would be half the battle now in all
fairness to doctors the majority of
healthcare systems have not been
designed to embrace the voice of the
patient although there are pockets where
this is happening and this value is
being recognized in a sense it’s a new
way of practicing medicine so we have
some work to do now the Argentine tango
is a style that relies on improvisation
the traditional paternalistic approach
where man leads and woman follows
vanishes where either can now lead and
follow in a give-and-take relationship
the right partner can truly lead to a
masterpiece of a performance now in
healthcare forging a strong partnership
with your doctor is one of the most
important steps you can take in
protecting your health but the majority
of us will undergo major medical
procedures without doing our homework
without seeking the expert opinions of
other doctors without touching base with
other patients I want you to think for a
minute how did I choose my doctor was it
the recommendation of a friend because
the doctor was nice and didn’t nag them
about certain lifestyle choices was it
the first doctor you could find in an
alphabetical list you could get an
appointment with first female you could
find did you do any additional research
on your doctor when you’re renovating a
room in your house do you hire the first
contractor that you were recommended or
do you do a bit of homework to ensure
you’re making the best choice why aren’t
we placing the same value in our bodies
and our health when we’re putting our
lives in the hands of a doctor’s now if
you have a doctor you’ve been seeing how
would you describe your relationship is
your doctor a good listener did they
help you piece together and tell your
story would you share secrets with your
doctor that might be impacting your
health how many of you have asked dr.
Google a question you would never ask
your actual doctor better yet how many
of you have lied to your doctor or
conceal certain details unfortunately
many of us will lie to our doctors in
fear of judgment and embarrass
now I hate to admit this on stage but
I’ve even lied to my doctor I was once
asked if I had ever been exposed to
secondhand smoke and images of the two
packs today my dad used to smoke with me
in the car and the backseat flashed
before my eyes but I adamantly replied
no never why it was a split second
reaction and I was actually surprised
given what I do that I lied but because
I have a crazy family history and try to
pretend to be invincible and lead a
healthy lifestyle I didn’t want
something that I thought was so trivial
to be a documented strike against me I
didn’t feel comfortable enough with my
doctor to share that important
information so what happens when we lie
concealing truth concealing this story
can actually work against us it can lead
to the wrong diagnosis a misdiagnosis
and even the wrong treatment choosing
the right doctor is one of the most
important medical decisions you will
make and finding a lifelong health
partner you trust and respect and can
build a relationship with over time is
fundamental and if you aren’t connecting
with your current doctor then it’s time
to find a new one partner connection is
the heart of the tango where information
flows back and forth medicine is a
sensual science where it’s important
that we gather data about the patient
through touch and other senses
ironically the Latin derivative of tango
is tan Jetta which means to touch
mastering the art and science of the
patient-doctor tango requires us to
combine the patient’s story the physical
exam of the body the doctors medical
expertise and the tests and diagnostics
performed in a unit fine diagnosis and
once that diagnosis is made it’s
important that we translate that back
into the language and the context of
that patients life so that they
understand their condition and can make
the most appropriate treatment decision
based on that understanding many
patients are forced to learn a new
language when they enter the healthcare
system for the first time but it’s
important we provide subtitles to that
foreign flick
connection is the conversation between
the patient story in the language of
Medicine the patient-doctor relationship
is the cornerstone of health and healing
and you control a very important piece
to that puzzle your life story is
critical now I can’t rewrite history and
change my past or the countless lives of
the mothers fathers siblings spouses
whose voices weren’t heard but I can
write a new chapter and it goes
something like this once upon a time we
each learned how to tango with our
doctors and we lived happily ever after
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
you
Please follow and like us: