When patients dictate care

Being advocates for your own health is one thing, but some patients go overboard:

This is not to say that patients shouldn’t be advocates for their own health, of course they should. They should ask questions, and read all about their diseases, and get second opinions (or third and fourth opinions if they’re not satisfied). But anyone who thinks that pulling rank is going to improve care should conduct the following experiment: The next time you get on an airplane, first go to the air traffic control tower and fire everyone in there, since you know so much; then fire the aircraft mechanics and service the plane yourself; then fire the pilot and fly the plane yourself. And afterwards, if you survive the crash, consider not making those same mistakes when you get sick.

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