What do you do if healthcare interventions and treatments are not backed by logical reasoning?

When faced with healthcare interventions and treatments that seem to lack a foundation in logical reasoning, it's natural to feel concerned. After all, your health is at stake, and you deserve care that's both effective and justifiable. In the modern healthcare landscape, patient advocacy is a critical skill that empowers you to navigate such challenging situations. By understanding how to question, research, and collaborate with healthcare providers, you can ensure that the treatments you receive are grounded in sound medical practice and tailored to your individual needs.

1 Seek Clarification

If a proposed treatment strikes you as illogical, your first step should be to seek clarification from your healthcare provider. Ask for the rationale behind the treatment and how it addresses your condition. Request evidence of its effectiveness and inquire about alternative options. A good provider should be willing to explain their reasoning and provide you with information that supports their treatment plan. Understanding the basis for your care is essential in making informed decisions about your health.

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Lena Winslow

Integrative Health Coach NBC-HWC/ Author / Speaker / Disability Advocate / Homeschool Expert / Scientist / Logic / Compassion
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The obvious reaction from a healthcare professional is to say: "Full stop! We need logic, we don't move without it" In my life, I am many things: healthcare professional, cancer thriver, mom to a child with complex needs, first-generation immigrant. To say that my "logic" as a medical professional always matches my "logic" as a mom would be a lie. Can we all remember 2020? The truth is we are multidimensional and dynamic beings that deal with EMOTIONS and even LOGIC is in the eye of the beholder (just like beauty) The answers are always individual. To assume that there is no logic when I don't see it in someone else's decision would be arrogant. Ask questions, clarify, AND have your own set of values to make your own decisions.

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Michael Elwan

Founder- LEXs | Board Member | PhD Researcher, Strategist, and Advocate Building Pathways for Lived Experience Leaders | BCom (Accounting), MBA (Distinction), MSocWrk | Views Are My Own
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Seeking clarification from your healthcare provider when a treatment proposal seems unclear or illogical is a crucial step in being an active participant in your health care. This approach not only fosters a collaborative patient-provider relationship but also empowers you to take control of your health decisions. Asking for a detailed explanation of the treatment's rationale and its direct relevance to your condition is about ensuring transparency and understanding, which are fundamental in healthcare.

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Queen Adaugo O.

Founder @ Care Hub Initiative Inc | PhD, CCRP
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Additionally, collaborating with trusted experts or community leaders can enhance credibility and ensure the information is received positively.

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2 Research Options

Upon receiving an explanation, take the initiative to conduct your own research. Look for reputable medical sources that discuss your condition and the recommended treatment. While the internet is a vast resource, focus on peer-reviewed medical journals, guidelines from professional health organizations, and patient education materials from trusted healthcare institutions. This research can provide a broader context for understanding your treatment and may reveal additional options or confirm the validity of your provider's advice.

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Elise Anna Harris

3 x Breast Cancer Survivor, Pink Fund Ambassador, Voices Of Black Women Ambassador, Lemonista Educator
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In my experience I would begin to search other options. I try to keep an open mind when it comes to the Medical Research. They’re are always other options to consider

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Chioma Okere

Dedicated Health Coach for Busy Professionals || Health Content Writer for Healthcare Brands || Passionate Nurse & Health Influencer || Turning Health Information into Practical Actions That Empower Healthy Living.
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Taking the initiative to conduct one's own personal research on the rationale behind treatments and interventions is of utmost importance. It does more in helping one gain a wide knowledge of it, more than asking a senior colleague would do. It's important to use relevant materials or websites to gain such information

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3 Consult Experts

If your research raises further doubts, consider seeking a second opinion from another healthcare professional. Specialists in the field related to your treatment can offer valuable insights and might suggest different approaches. Remember, it's important to ensure that the expert you consult has the appropriate credentials and experience. A fresh perspective can help clarify whether the treatment in question is indeed based on sound medical reasoning.

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Chioma Okere

Dedicated Health Coach for Busy Professionals || Health Content Writer for Healthcare Brands || Passionate Nurse & Health Influencer || Turning Health Information into Practical Actions That Empower Healthy Living.
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I have found it helpful to consult experts in the field concerning an intervention. An expert that knows their onions would bring more clarity. It's important to do personal research, but it helps a lot to find more clarity from someone who has been experienced in thst field

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4 Evaluate Evidence

When discussing your concerns with healthcare providers, focus on the evidence supporting their recommendations. Ask about clinical guidelines, which are systematically developed statements to assist practitioner and patient decisions about appropriate healthcare for specific circumstances. These guidelines are usually based on a review of existing evidence and provide a benchmark for best practices in medicine. Understanding where your treatment falls within these guidelines can help you assess its logical basis.

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Chioma Okere

Dedicated Health Coach for Busy Professionals || Health Content Writer for Healthcare Brands || Passionate Nurse & Health Influencer || Turning Health Information into Practical Actions That Empower Healthy Living.
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Clinical guidelines have been developed based on existing evidence and reviews. They provide the necessary base for assessing whether intervention and treatments are logical. So it's of paramount importance to evaluate interventions through these guidelines

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5 Collaborate Closely

Effective patient advocacy involves collaboration with your healthcare team. Share your research findings and discuss any discrepancies between what you've learned and what you've been told. A collaborative approach fosters open communication and can lead to a joint decision-making process. This ensures that your values and preferences are considered alongside clinical expertise, resulting in a treatment plan that you understand and agree with.

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6 Make Decisions

Ultimately, you have the right to accept or decline any medical treatment. After gathering information, consulting experts, and discussing options with your healthcare provider, you should feel empowered to make a decision that aligns with your values and understanding of logical medical practice. Remember, your health and well-being are paramount, and you are entitled to treatments that are both evidence-based and individualized to your needs.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What do you do if healthcare interventions and treatments are not backed by logical reasoning?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Seek Clarification

2 Research Options

3 Consult Experts

4 Evaluate Evidence

5 Collaborate Closely

6 Make Decisions

7 Here’s what else to consider

Patient Advocacy

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What do you do if healthcare interventions and treatments are not backed by logical reasoning?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Seek Clarification

2 Research Options

3 Consult Experts

4 Evaluate Evidence

5 Collaborate Closely

6 Make Decisions

7 Here’s what else to consider

Patient Advocacy

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