Safe healthcare requires an informed patient.

Patients can no longer depend on all of their doctors to make decisions based solely on their welfare. Financial, secondary gain and inter-physician rivalries often contaminate the physician-patient relationship.

It is critical for patients to know about their medical conditions and to evaluate the recommendations of all physicians with a healthy degree of skepticism. I suppose that goes for this advice as well!

The more you know, the better equipped you are to ask the right questions and to understand the consequences and likelihood of success of all healthcare decisions.

In some ways, learning about your healthcare conditions has never been easier. The internet is a rich source of information. However, it cannot be overstated that the internet is as full of bad information and advice as it is a source of good. How do you know what to select?

One recommendation is to refer to specific sites for guidance. The Mayo Clinic website is full of information that is balanced and focused. Their dedication to integrated healthcare shows in their website presentations.

Probably the best sources of information are the doctor themselves. IF you see a doctor consultation as an opportunity to learn, then you that doctor can be an excellent source of information. But be a smart consumer. Trust but validate. See multiple doctors for the same problem. Not for treatment but for information from multiple perspectives. Study the information and recommendations provided. Ask one doctor to comments on the recommendations of others without mentioning doctors names.

Stay vigilant. The carpenter's rule "measure twice, cut once" applies even more so to healthcare.