Advocating for oneself in the doctor’s office is challenging, with a new study revealing that many doctors undervalue patient perspectives during diagnosis. This warrants a reevaluation of the practice, as patients’ input often lacks the significance it deserves in the medical decision-making process.

Medical professionals need to change paternalistic mindset

The study by the University of Cambridge and King’s College London explores clinicians’ preferences for diagnostic evidence. Shockingly, only 4% of surveyed doctors rank patients’ self-assessments among the top three valuable sources out of 13.

Researchers revealed a gender bias in diagnosis, with female patients often being attributed to mental factors like stress for their symptoms, while male clinicians were more prone to suggesting symptom exaggeration. A study participant emphasized the negative impact of feeling disbelieved by doctors, highlighting the urgency for medical professionals to move away from a paternalistic mindset and prioritize patient perspectives.

The research, involving over a thousand doctors and patients, focused on neuropsychiatric lupus. Researchers examined how clinicians evaluate 13 different types of evidence, including brain scans and patient self-assessments, to diagnose the challenging disease. Approximately 50% of the patients noted that their doctors rarely sought their disease assessments, but some reported positive experiences with doctors valuing their opinions.

Interestingly, despite acknowledging uncertainty in diagnosis of symptoms such as hallucinations, headaches, and depression, most doctors rated their assessments as the highest. The study highlighted the significance of addressing “neuropsychiatric” symptoms, often misdiagnosed, as they can lead to a lower quality of life and premature death.

Doctors don’t value patient’s experiences

The study underscores a patient’s distress over feeling “degraded and dehumanized” due to a doctor’s skepticism, highlighting the risk of dismissing patients’ knowledge about their own bodies. Previous research indicates doctors often interrupt patients after just 11 seconds and that only a third allocate sufficient time for patient input. The findings advocate for a broader change in the medical approach particularly among nurses and psychiatrists.

Advocating for a shift from paternalistic healthcare, Sue Farrington, Co-Chair of the Rare Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease Alliance, urges a more collaborative approach emphasizing equal partnerships between patients’ lived experiences and doctors’ learned expertise.