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E-mail This StoryProsper resident Scott Wise has written a book to help explain medical language and terminology so the average person can better understand doctors’ diagnoses and orders.
According to the American Medical Association, 90 million Americans have trouble understanding medical information.
“It’s not the patients’ fault, in my opinion,” Wise said. “The current system of health care in the United States no longer permits our country’s physicians to spend quality educational time with their patients.”
His book, “Health-Wise House Calls,” covers 10 of the top medical conditions a family might face during a lifetime.
The topics are depression, migraine headaches, ear infections, diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension also called high blood pressure, asthma, overweight and obesity, lower back pain, and cancer screening guidelines.
The chapters are written using as little “doctor-speak,” as he calls it, and attempts to deliver a clear explanation of the disease.
“The book really is an expanded patient education hand-out,” Wise said. “I realized that at the end of a week I was saying the same thing over and over.”
Wise used to educate his patients by drawing pictures on examination room table paper as he was explaining what the disease was and how it affected the patient.
“I realized that what I was doing needed to be put down in a book for all of my patients,” he said.
He said the way to treat a patient is to develop a rapport with the patient by listening him or her, but that doctors’ rarely do that these days.
Now, appointment times are generally 15 minutes in length, and during that time a doctor needs to find out why the patient is there, get the data, write notes, order labs or X-rays and discuss with the patient what they have to do.
“The key to getting the best health care for you and your family is to be an educated consumer,” Wise said. “You need to know as much as you can know about whatever the condition you, your wife, your daughter or son has.”
It is important to know what questions to ask the doctor, he said.
He is a veteran and did his residency while serving with the U.S. Army at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. He is married to Donita and has three children, Cannon, 12, and twins, Ian and Piper, 6.
Wise is a speaker on medical topics, and researched patient education and preventive health.
His book may be found at most book stores or can be ordered at www.healthwisehousecalls.com. He also has several E-books, which are topic specific, including Alzheimer disease, ADHD, and nutrition and pregnancy.
