Great message to those who ignore health issues: don’t.
About that heartburn. It started for me when I was 7 years old. The doctor told my mom I was “faking it.” I had heartburn until I was 43. I ate a few metric tons of antacid.
And then I got a new doctor, who suggested I had a problem with gluten.
I changed my diet, and it went away.
Heartburn is the body’s engine light. It means something is wrong.
Ah yes, the old KPI debate - I think we’ve had this one before!
This made me wonder what you’d think about the patient report outcome measures approach.
Some interesting work in the gender affirming surgery space underway to develop a PROM for and with trans people. Currently surgical outcomes for trans folk are measured using PROMS designed for cisgender people - creates some problematic discrepancies ie. the experience of a cisgender woman having a mastectomy in relation to breast cancer compared to a trans person to affirm their identity.
Sorry, missed this last week. I think the consideration of PROMs and PREMs is good news, however I think they'll be applied in the same type of paradigm so won't change much. One tool I'd like to try out in health service evaluation is SenseMaker, which uses micronarratives and represents them as quantified data - it enables you to see overall patterns, but understand the context required to make sense of outliers.
Wow !!! Really made me think !!! I’m so guilty of doing what Shirley did 😟 it’s so easy to do isn’t it, yet in my own profession, (social worker) I’d never just try and stick a plaster over the problem, I’d look to address the root cause , look at systems theory and professional curiosity as a start ! Thank you 🙏🏼 I needed to hear this. I’m going to also share with my sister
Thanks so much Francis, that really does mean so much! I think we all do it to some extent- acting with best intentions and hoping for the best. Glad you found it useful, you’ve made my day!
Good writing Lauren! 👏 I really like the way you address both the "user/customer/patient" experience of healthcare AND the validity/efficacy of treatment itself. They're different things, but they're synergistic, for better and worse.
Really interesting, thanks, Lauren. Glad Shirley did eventually get the right diagnosis.
I read this straight after reading The Vajenda – a detailed look today at the latest news reports and UK Panorama programme on HRT. Both helpful reminders to explore the detail.
Thank you for sharing Shirley’s story. I think it’s so important that people understand that OTC doesn’t always mean “safe”… and that developing a good relationship with their pharmacist can help in a myriad of ways.
I also understand why Shirley did what she did - and I’m so glad she had a GP who cared and listened!
I hope that if people don’t feel comfortable going to their doctor (or can’t get in/cant afford it) they will at least be able to check with a pharmacist and ask if regular use is “ok”. Other good questions:
“Are there interactions with my other meds?”
“Is it safe long term?”
“Is there a better/safer alternative?”
“Do I need regular monitoring?”
Many patients don’t know that certain meds mean their liver and kidney function or potassium levels need to be regularly checked. Or that you shouldn’t combine pain medication with cold and flu medication. A pharmacist can help with all of that!
Thanks so much for reading, and for all the thinking and work you do in this space. The more I understand, the more I recognise that effective self-management is a team effort. Which means valuing all members of the team and communicating openly. Thanks also for noting the value the pharmacist brings to the mix 🙏
You’re so welcome!I hope your publication helps inspire others to bring a pharmacist onto their care team - I think you’re often overlooked despite being a key player in health and safety.
Great stuff here. Over my 40 + years as a kidney disease patient, now with two kidney transplants (!) I have increasingly craved and sought a more collaborative experience with my doctors, pharmacists etc...I have to run EVERYTHING by my transplant pharmacist because of possible interactions. We can blame the doctors, or the pharmaceutical companies, but the onus lies on me to get educated. ask questions about my health, too, and seek different physicians if I am unsatisfied with my level of care.
Great message to those who ignore health issues: don’t.
About that heartburn. It started for me when I was 7 years old. The doctor told my mom I was “faking it.” I had heartburn until I was 43. I ate a few metric tons of antacid.
And then I got a new doctor, who suggested I had a problem with gluten.
I changed my diet, and it went away.
Heartburn is the body’s engine light. It means something is wrong.
Definitely worth looking into the reasons why rather than continually treating symptoms. Sorry it took you so many years to find out though!
Ah yes, the old KPI debate - I think we’ve had this one before!
This made me wonder what you’d think about the patient report outcome measures approach.
Some interesting work in the gender affirming surgery space underway to develop a PROM for and with trans people. Currently surgical outcomes for trans folk are measured using PROMS designed for cisgender people - creates some problematic discrepancies ie. the experience of a cisgender woman having a mastectomy in relation to breast cancer compared to a trans person to affirm their identity.
Need to catch up to tell you more!
Sorry, missed this last week. I think the consideration of PROMs and PREMs is good news, however I think they'll be applied in the same type of paradigm so won't change much. One tool I'd like to try out in health service evaluation is SenseMaker, which uses micronarratives and represents them as quantified data - it enables you to see overall patterns, but understand the context required to make sense of outliers.
https://thecynefin.co/about-sensemaker/
Sounds almost like we need a legit work-related catch up to discuss :)
Wow !!! Really made me think !!! I’m so guilty of doing what Shirley did 😟 it’s so easy to do isn’t it, yet in my own profession, (social worker) I’d never just try and stick a plaster over the problem, I’d look to address the root cause , look at systems theory and professional curiosity as a start ! Thank you 🙏🏼 I needed to hear this. I’m going to also share with my sister
Thanks so much Francis, that really does mean so much! I think we all do it to some extent- acting with best intentions and hoping for the best. Glad you found it useful, you’ve made my day!
Good writing Lauren! 👏 I really like the way you address both the "user/customer/patient" experience of healthcare AND the validity/efficacy of treatment itself. They're different things, but they're synergistic, for better and worse.
Thanks for the support Baird!
Really interesting, thanks, Lauren. Glad Shirley did eventually get the right diagnosis.
I read this straight after reading The Vajenda – a detailed look today at the latest news reports and UK Panorama programme on HRT. Both helpful reminders to explore the detail.
Thanks Wendy, I’m glad you found it a good complement to the Vajenda piece. Definitely coming from similar places.
Thank you for sharing Shirley’s story. I think it’s so important that people understand that OTC doesn’t always mean “safe”… and that developing a good relationship with their pharmacist can help in a myriad of ways.
I also understand why Shirley did what she did - and I’m so glad she had a GP who cared and listened!
I hope that if people don’t feel comfortable going to their doctor (or can’t get in/cant afford it) they will at least be able to check with a pharmacist and ask if regular use is “ok”. Other good questions:
“Are there interactions with my other meds?”
“Is it safe long term?”
“Is there a better/safer alternative?”
“Do I need regular monitoring?”
Many patients don’t know that certain meds mean their liver and kidney function or potassium levels need to be regularly checked. Or that you shouldn’t combine pain medication with cold and flu medication. A pharmacist can help with all of that!
Thanks so much for reading, and for all the thinking and work you do in this space. The more I understand, the more I recognise that effective self-management is a team effort. Which means valuing all members of the team and communicating openly. Thanks also for noting the value the pharmacist brings to the mix 🙏
You’re so welcome!I hope your publication helps inspire others to bring a pharmacist onto their care team - I think you’re often overlooked despite being a key player in health and safety.
Great stuff here. Over my 40 + years as a kidney disease patient, now with two kidney transplants (!) I have increasingly craved and sought a more collaborative experience with my doctors, pharmacists etc...I have to run EVERYTHING by my transplant pharmacist because of possible interactions. We can blame the doctors, or the pharmaceutical companies, but the onus lies on me to get educated. ask questions about my health, too, and seek different physicians if I am unsatisfied with my level of care.