3. If you were a patient, what would you choose to do differently from Joe Public?

If you were a patient, what would you choose to do differently from Joe Public?

Disclaimer, dual American-Finn, lived 22 years in Oregon before emigrating to Finland 5 years ago. I have a medical degree from a Finnish University Central Hospital and work in academic medical research in Finland, though to be clear, I am not a physician nor pretend to be. My opinions are mine, and mine alone.

If I were in the US/advice I would give to family and friends in the US:

  • Lawyer up, save all documentation, request to record all interactions / refuse to work with providers that do not
  • Review subspecialty body guidelines for current standard of care / literature underpinning those guidelines
  • Determine where in the world I could get the best cost: outcome ratio + Quality Adjusted Life Year : outcome ratio.
  • Tailor make a cost effective, evidenced based, treatment plan that fits with what my insurance covers / my current and future income / and ability to pay
  • Ensure thst I have truly informed consent of care / aware of costs each step of the way. Refuse to consent until I am explicitly given costs. Send in lawyer to dispute charges if what I was quoted did not match my bill.
  • Start doing my homework on early on current clinical trials that I might qualify for / research cost effective travel to those locations if not in my immediate area
  • Get consults from 2-3 physician scientists currently publishing literature in that sub specialty
  • Hope to have gotten a disease that won't bankrupt me

or:

  • Fly with my EU passport and get standard of care in the Nordic country that I hold citizenship with, as outcomes here are on par with the standard of care in the US / average life expectancy is 2 years greater than in the US.
  • Use my money to support a medical system that distributes care equally and truly not for profit (albeit, it's not perfect, no system is)
  • Not worry about not getting bankrupt
  • Still investigate those clinical trials
  • Live restful with the knowledge that I actually have informed consent of treatment options available currently to humanity / know how to get the most cost effective care for my ailment
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