Making Medical Decisions

When it comes to making medical decisions, there are trade-offs. Inasmuch as procedures and treatments can provide tremendous benefits, there are also risks. As an informed patient, it is important for you to have all information possible and to consider both the benefits and the risks before making a decision about medical care. Some medical choices may provide more convenience. For example, some medications now come in extended-release formulas. Rather than taking a pill once a day, a patient may only need to take a pill once a week. For someone who has trouble swallowing, an extended-release formula may be a better option. However, this same choice may have unintended results, such as the medication not being taken because of a difficulty remembering a once-a-week pill. The convenience of each medical decision should be weighed against the potential downside of the same choice. Another scenario may involve a family asking about a catheter (tube that drains liquid from the bladder) for their elderly mother who frequently struggles to use a restroom. Inasmuch as a catheter could improve certain aspects of this woman's day-to-day life, such as eliminating embarrassing "accidents" or having to wear underwear with padding, a catheter comes with risks, such as infections. In this case, the family and the physician would need to discuss if the convenience of a catheter is worth the risk of infection. Even small decisions that may seem unimportant can lead to big safety risks. For example, if a patient decides to remove an identification bracelet during a hospital stay because he or she feels that it is a nuisance, this decision could lead to the wrong treatment being given. The consequences could be severe, even deadly. Consider the following steps when making a medical decision: Choose health care providers with whom you feel comfortable. Have open and honest conversations. When decisions have to be made, ask about both risks and benefits. Remember the easiest solution may not always be the safest. In other situations, what is easiest may be the best choice for a particular person. Discuss both the pros and the cons of each option as they pertain to you. If you decide to undergo a treatment or procedure, learn how to lessen risks. For example, if a decision is made to use a catheter, learn how to prevent infections by taking steps, such as regular catheter cleaning and frequent emptying of the reservoir. If you do not know why something is being done-ASK. Once you understand the reason for something, it will be easier to avoid making decisions that may bring additional risks, such as removing an identification bracelet. Know possible side effects of medical treatments and be on the lookout for symptoms. If you think there may be a problem, call your physician sooner rather than later. Informed consent is the formal process of actually signing a document that says you understand the risks and benefits and have agreed that the procedure or treatment should be done in light of that understanding. It is very important not to assume that your physician would not go forward with a procedure if it was too risky. After all, risks are weighed in the eyes of the individual-what you consider too great a risk may be seen by someone else as an acceptable, or even minimal, risk. Thus, when asked to sign a consent form, it is reasonable to ask what risks there are, how likely they are to occur, what can be done to minimize the risks, and what alternatives there are to the proposed intervention. Be an informed patient. Learn both sides of a medical decision before making a choice!