Helping Doctors to Change
This is a brief podcast from Dr. Michael Wilkes from the University of California. It’s not about headache or migraine, but it’s very relevant. In the podcast, Dr. Wilkes asks some important questions. When new scientific information comes out that shows that an old method is wrong, or that shows a new treatment is right, why don’t doctors change?
Listen to the podcast, and then I’d like to make a few comments.
First, I would like to question one thing that Dr. Wilkes says. He describes a common attitude that doctors have as,“— but — I’ve always done it this way!”
Maybe a doctor would like to comment, but I think that reasons for not changing can often be more complex. For example, there’s the impression that the “facts” we have today were different yesterday, and will change again tomorrow. There’s the realization that treatment is often more complex than a single study on a single aspect shows. Also, there’s the impression that what we’re doing “works” – and so why change?
Finally, there’s so much information out there – how do you keep educated?
I would like to ask both doctors and patients these questions. If you’re a doctor, how do you keep up to date? How do you think you or other doctors could do better?
As a patient, can you help your doctor keep up with information relevant to your situation?
These questions are very important when it comes to migraine, cluster, and other related disorders. At this time in history, we’re learning a lot, and we’re learning it fast. That means we can jump to the wrong conclusions in our impatience. But it also means that there’s a lot of good information available, and it’s difficult for both doctor and patient to keep up with.
Remember, your doctor has to not only treat patients, but keep learning, and take all those facts – some more “true” than others – and integrate them into a wide sea of knowledge she already has. It’s not easy. How can we help make it easier?