Putting Patients in the Driver's Seat
Respect. Choice. Control. Together, these values form the foundation of our Patients First philosophy. Over the past few months, we’ve focused on what this means for us, discussing the relationship between respect and patient safety and talking about every person’s right to make choices about their care. Patients and family members have shared stories about choosing care on their own terms instead of care dictated by their health networks.
Today, we’re talking about putting control back where it belongs – in the hands of people living with cancer. Taking control of your cancer care can sound a little scary, especially when it comes to making choices about high-tech treatment and therapies. Faced with a life-threatening diagnosis, our first instinct is to defer to our doctors and their extensive training to tell us what to do.
But while doctors are schooled in the science of fighting cancer, they’re not the experts on you and the things that make you unique. What works for a young father may not work for a woman who’s raised her children and wants to live fully in the present. What makes sense for someone with a highly treatable cancer doesn’t compute for a person with an incurable disease.
At The Ghosh Center, we know that you are not your diagnosis. Your life has many dimensions - family, friends, hopes, responsibilities, life experiences and plans for the future. All of these affect your decisions about what comes next.
“We’re here to navigate. You get to drive.”
Because our goal is to help you make the best decisions, we spend time getting to know you. We listen and learn. By understanding who you are and what’s important to you, we’re better able to map out a plan for your personal journey.
We also educate and equip. Our patients receive clear, understandable information about treatment choices – the reasons for each, the benefits, side effects and outlook. There’s usually more than one route to battling cancer. Only you know what you can tolerate, what trade-offs you’re willing to make, what treatment is acceptable to you.
“When people are listened to, respected and empowered, they own their decisions,” says nurse practitioner Mindy Martin. “As a result, patients are 100% invested in the course they’ve chosen. And they’re more likely to follow through with treatment, which ultimately leads to better outcomes.”
When cancer rewrites the rules, regaining control is especially important. You have the right to own your decisions and to make informed choices about other aspects of your life that can affect your recovery, such as nutrition, exercise and lifestyle. Our Phase One Prehabilitation program is designed to help you carry out your choices.
At The Ghosh Center, we’re here to navigate, but you get to drive. It’s part of our commitment to putting you first and placing the power in your hands.