2015年職稱英語衛(wèi)生類A級(jí)閱讀復(fù)習(xí)講義(1)

　　Earlier this year, the American College of Surgeons, the national scientific and educational organization of surgeons, conducted a nationwide survey that found that the average patient devotes an hour or less to researching his or her surgery or surgeon. While prospective patients worry about the costs or complications of an operation, they don’t necessarily look for information that would address their concerns.

　　In fact, more than a third of patients who had an operation in the last five years never reviewed the credentials of the surgeon who operated. Patients are more likely to spend time researching a job change (on average, about 10 hours) or a new car (8 hours) than the operation they are about to submit to or the surgeon who wields the knife. And many patients are satisfied with the answers they receive from their surgeon or primary care doctor, whoever those individuals happen to be.

　　I felt curious about the survey, so I called Dr. Thomas Russell, executive director of the American College of Surgeons. “There is a tendency for patients not to get probably involved and not to feel compelled to look into their surgery or surgeons,” he told me.

　　There are consequences to that kind of blind trust. “Today, medicine and surgery are really team sports,” Dr. Russell continued, “and the patient, as the ultimate decision maker, is the most important member of the team. Mistakes can happen, and patients have to be educated and must understand what is going on.”

　　In other words, a healthy doctor-patient relationship does not simply entail good bedside manners and responsible office management on the part of the doctor. It also requires that patients come to the relationship educated about their doctors, their illnesses and their treatment.

　　“If we are truly going to reform the health care system in the U.S.,” Dr. Russell said, “everybody has to participate actively and must educate themselves. That means doctors, nurses, other health care professionals, lawyers, pharmaceutical companies, and insurance companies. But most of all, it means the patient.”

　　Trust is important. But as Sir Francis Bacon, who was among the first to understand the importance of gathering data in science, once observed, knowledge is power.

　　病人太信任醫(yī)生?

　　今年早些時(shí)候，作為國家級(jí)外科醫(yī)生的科學(xué)及教育機(jī)構(gòu)的美國外科醫(yī)生學(xué)會(huì)進(jìn)行了一次全國普查調(diào)查發(fā)現(xiàn)病人用于咨詢自己的手術(shù)或是外科醫(yī)生的時(shí)間平均不到一個(gè)小時(shí)。盡管即將成為病人的人們擔(dān)心手術(shù)的費(fèi)用或是手術(shù)引起的并發(fā)癥，但他們卻不會(huì)查詢那些可能為他們解決問題的信息。

　　事實(shí)上，過去五年來超過三分之一的做過手術(shù)的病人從未審核過主刀醫(yī)生的資格憑證。病人更愿意花時(shí)間尋找跳槽的機(jī)會(huì)(平均為10小時(shí))或是查詢一輛新車(8小時(shí))，也不會(huì)查詢要做的手術(shù)或是主刀醫(yī)生的信息。無論主刀醫(yī)生和初級(jí)護(hù)理的醫(yī)生是誰，許多病人都對(duì)他們給出的答案感到滿意。

　　對(duì)這一調(diào)查結(jié)果我感到很好奇，于是打電話給美國外科醫(yī)生學(xué)會(huì)的執(zhí)行理事托馬斯·羅素博士。“病人通常不傾向于參與其中，也不感到必須要詢問手術(shù)或是醫(yī)生”，他這樣告訴我。

　　這樣的盲目信任是要付出代價(jià)的。“現(xiàn)在，內(nèi)科與外科治療都屬于團(tuán)隊(duì)行為”，羅素博士接著說道“而病人作為最終的決策者是這個(gè)團(tuán)隊(duì)最重要的成員。錯(cuò)誤時(shí)有發(fā)生，病人必須知情，必須了解事情的進(jìn)展。”

　　換言之，健康的醫(yī)患關(guān)系不是簡單需要醫(yī)生單方面的精心照顧和負(fù)責(zé)任的事務(wù)管理，同時(shí)需要病人了解自己的醫(yī)生、疾病和治療方案。

　　“如果我們真的要改革美國的醫(yī)療保險(xiǎn)制度”，羅素博士說，“每個(gè)人都必須積極地參與進(jìn)來，進(jìn)行自我教育，包括醫(yī)生、護(hù)士、其他醫(yī)保專業(yè)人士、律師、制藥公司和保險(xiǎn)公司，但最重要的是病人自身。”

　　信任很重要。但正如最早明白采集數(shù)據(jù)之于科學(xué)的重要。