The Human Factor: We Don’t Tell Patients the Real Numbers
Doctors and patients often speak different languages when it comes to risk.
Doctors and patients often speak different languages when it comes to risk. A physician says, “This complication rarely happens.” A patient wonders, “Does that mean one in 100? One in 1,000? One in 10,000?” When we use vague words, we leave patients guessing. That guesswork can distort decisions and undermine trust.
How Doctors Talk About Frequency
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