Experiencing Healthcare Podcast

What Patients Want vs. What They Need: Who Decides?

Episode Summary

In this episode, Jamie and Matt unpack one of the most complex questions in modern healthcare: when patients ask for one thing, but need another—who gets to make the call? Together, they explore the tension between patient autonomy and clinical expertise, the importance of health literacy, and why building trust may be more important than being right. From patio metaphors to health system philosophy, this episode offers real insight into what it means to guide instead of dictate—and how we build a healthcare model that respects both evidence and empathy.

Episode Notes

EPISODE NOTES

• The concept of information asymmetry between patients and providers
• Why clinical expertise isn’t enough without emotional intelligence
• How health literacy and “teach-back” transform patient outcomes
• Why the guide, not the hero, plays the most important role in patient care
• How healthcare can marry evidence-based decisions with patient values
• When too many options become overwhelming—and how to simplify decision-making
• Building systems of collaboration instead of clinical control
• Tools for aligning patient needs with long-term outcomes
• A model for care where understanding is as important as intervention