'Expert patient'-dream or nightmare?

摘要

Since the chief medical officer for England first introduced the term expert patient, it has been picked up and used very widely. During this time, the notion of the expert patient seems to have been criticised by doctors at least as much as it has been welcomed. If one asks lawyers, architects, social workers, or management consultants whether they prefer clients who take an interest in the issues they face and are motivated to work in partnership to achieve successful results, the answer seems obvious. So why does the idea of expert patients provoke such antipathy within the medical profession?