It may give us a pleasant feeling to think that the patient is well-informed, engaged and empowered. But I don’t think they are. With this in mind and due to another hype – ‘patient centricity’ – it makes me think of the Hollywood movies. When the director needed an Indian to get a shot of his pony, he shouted, ‘Go get an Indian!’ It’s the same with healthcare (or science that tries to help healthcare). When we explore new initiatives, or set up projects in healthcare, we suddenly need a patient (‘Go get a patient!’) to fulfil the requirement that we really met one and had a discussion with them. In the end, the door closes and the decision is made in the same room by the ones who have always made the decisions over the past decades.

We can, however, act differently. Let me explain my opinion about the empowerment of patients. Please consult my publication in the Journal of Health Management.

For any questions or comments, please contact me.

Kind regards,

Peter Kapitein
Patient Advocate and CEO of Inspire2Live