Excluding cancer, treatment failure is most commonly attributed to “the patient’s non-compliance with treatment,” placing the burden of the (poor) outcome entirely on the patient. Non-Compliance (in the medical world) means that you are not following your doctor’s treatment plan. However, saying that you “did not follow the treatment plan” does not address why you did not follow the treatment plan – which deserves to be explored further. We will discuss, here, several reasons why treatment plans fail, and, they are not all the patient’s fault.
You may have heard of the “five stages of death and dying”, the first of which is Denial. According to Very Well Health’s Trisha Torrey, denial, not surprisingly, also contributes to a patient’s preference not even to acknowledge symptoms. The problem occurs when a diagnosis cannot be made until symptoms are detected via routine tests or until they are felt and communicated by the patient – sometimes, not until they get in the way of daily life. A few such problems include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes. A very personal lesson about this began for me before I became a nurse.
My mother was told she had high cholesterol when I was in high school. She talked about the need to alter her diet, and, she was extremely diligent about modifying and monitoring her diet. But, little did I know until decades later that she had chosen not to take any medication, even when it was prescribed. Mom firmly believed she could control her cholesterol with diet, alone. However, diet alone did not solve her problem. Years later, I took her to a doctor, thinking some of her memory loss issues might be due to her need for a carotid endarterectomy (a procedure similar to an angioplasty, except the carotid arteries supply blood to the brain).
The doctor told us she had high cholesterol and asked if it had ever been diagnosed or medication prescribed for it. Mom replied, Yes, it’s been suggested for years, “but I wanted to be the only one in the family who could control it.” The devastating result of her choice was a diagnosis of Vascular Dementia. Simply put, her pride got in the way of her treatment.
Remember, there is no “Healthcare Magic 8 Ball”. The only way to assure that your needs are being addressed is by being an active member of your healthcare team. Do not leave the examination room – or, let your doctor leave – until you fully understand your issues, your plan, and your role in effecting that plan. If you feel rushed, speak up. Say, “I don’t understand”; ask for written directions. Ask your doctor to prescribe a home health aide to help in more complex situations.
The ultimate success of your healthcare treatment plan depends upon BOTH your doctor’s and your commitment to work together to resolve your issue. Healthcare is a partnership.