This post is to highlight just another random article I read (here) in the NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL of MEDICINE.
So, you might not be interested if you are not a medical student.
The article actually highlight a patient diagnosed with a breast cancer but had failed to follow up with the treatment.
Just some quote from the article
“In a busy clinic, it is only too easy to seize any label that may speed up the consultation a little.”
“This patient's journey began unremarkably: she presented promptly, complied with her workup, underwent grueling chemotherapy, and attended every scheduled appointment. Then, the theoretically seamless transition between the medical oncologist and the breast surgeon failed. When the patient's call to the outpatient department was not returned, she took the silence and past encouraging assessments as signals that she was out of danger. To her thinking, no news was good news — not an uncommon belief among chronically ill patients who long for normality.”
“It is not so extraordinary for a patient to forget or even not to understand the treatment plan in the first place, especially when confronted with complex details at a vulnerable time.”
So, I am done here. I am too lazy to share my view after what happened yesterday and I have to attend another lecture later.
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