Doctors & patients are saying about 'A-Fib.com'...
"A-Fib.com is a great web site for patients, that is unequaled by anything else out there."
Dr. Douglas L. Packer, MD, FHRS, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
"Jill and I put you and your work in our prayers every night. What you do to help people through this [A-Fib] process is really incredible."
Jill and Steve Douglas, East Troy, WI
“I really appreciate all the information on your website as it allows me to be a better informed patient and to know what questions to ask my EP.
Faye Spencer, Boise, ID, April 2017
“I think your site has helped a lot of patients.”Dr. Hugh G. Calkins, MD Johns Hopkins,
Baltimore, MD
Is 2019 the Year You Fire Your A-Fib Doctor?
Consider this question: “What would you tell your healthcare providers about living with A-Fib?”
That’s the question Mellanie True Hills, StopAFib.org, posed in 2017 to A-Fib patients on several online forums. Around 1,000 A-Fib patients and caregivers from around the world responded.
(How would you answer her question?)
A Top 10 List from A-Fib Patients to Their Doctors
After culling the patient comments, Ms. Hills distilled them into a top 10 list: 5 things A-Fib patients do not want to hear from their doctors and 5 things they do want to hear. She shared these insights with an AMA audience of doctors and later in a journal article for Electrophysiologists. For the full article with the accompanying explanations, go to her journal article.
Five Things A-Fib Patients Do Not Want To Hear
Ms. Hills’ survey results and several research studies tell us that some doctors underestimate the impact Atrial Fibrillation has on a patient’s quality of life. Many doctors treat A-Fib as a benign heart ailment. But patients report how A-Fib can reek havoc in their lives.
Responding A-Fib patients in this survey have said they do not want their healthcare providers to say:
- “A-Fib won’t kill you.”
- “Just get on with your life and stop thinking about your A-Fib.”
- “Stay off the Internet and only listen to me.”
- “I’ll choose your treatment, not you.”
- “You’re just a hysterical female.”
How Does Your A-Fib Doctor Measure Up?
Did anything on this list sound (or feel) familiar to you?
Think about your doctor’s manner and personality. Is this someone who works with you? Someone who listens to how A-Fib makes you feel? Does this doctor inspire confidence? Is this someone you’re comfortable with and trust with your health care?
Even if a doctor is the best in their field and an expert in your condition, that may not help you if they don’t communicate well with you and they don’t respect you.
If your doctor is condescending or dismisses your concerns, you’re getting poor care. If a doctor is too busy to talk with you and answer your concerns, he’s probably too busy to take care of you properly.
It may be time for you to change doctors.
Five Things A-Fib Patients Do Want To Hear
Those doctors who recognize the serious effects atrial fibrillation can have on patients will foster meaningful and productive partnerships with their patients. To bolster the doctor–patient relationship, here are five things A-Fib patients do want their healthcare providers to say:
- “I respect you and will listen.”
- “I want to be sure you understand.”
- “Let’s customize a treatment that works with your lifestyle.”
- “I understand your values and preferences.”
- “Here are some resources about A-Fib.”
Is 2019 the Year You Fire Your Doctor?
Your relationship with your doctor is important. Do the comments on this second list sound like your doctor?
If you don’t have this kind of rapport with your current doctor(s), it’s worth looking elsewhere for a new doctor (even if they’re “the best” in their field).
When your doctor respects you and listens to you, you’re more likely to collaborate on a treatment plan tailored to you and your treatment goals.
Developing a good relationship helps you feel comfortable asking questions and getting feedback in a give-and-take environment. And you’re more likely to accept and follow their advice.
Changing Doctors Can Be Scary
The researcher in doctor-patient communication, Robin DiMatteo, of U. of Calif.- Riverside, says of changing doctors: ”I really think it’s a fear of the unknown. But if the doctor isn’t supporting your healing or health, you should go.”
We can help you. Learn more about how to Find The Right Doctor For You and Your Treatment Goals.
Helping Doctors Understand A-Fib from the Patients’ Point-of-View. Read about my own experience talking to over 200 cardiologists and surgeons about the emotional stress of A-Fib from a patient’s point of view.
Resources for this Article
• Mellanie True Hills presentation, 2017 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Anaheim, California, November 11-15, 2017. Recognize AFib Patient Values by Mellanie True Hills. PowerPoint Presentation. From Improving Outcomes for Patients with AFib.
• American Heart Assoc. Non-CME Webinar. May 3, 2018. https://www.heart.org/-/media/files/health-topics/atrial-fibrillation/improving-outcomes-for-patients-with-afib-ucm_500972.pdf?la=en&hash=CDE25CF86D94CE01B9D5662E45E86619F20FF809
• Hills, M T. The transformative power of understanding and trust in AF care: How doctors can provide better treatment by understanding the hearts―and minds―of AF patients. Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology. Point of View. Volume 29, Issue 4, April 2018. Pages: 641-642. https://doi.org/10.1111/jce.13443
