Sometimes a picture or even a video is not worth a thousand words or even a few sentences. Just the same, patient’s reports about their surgical experience represent the missing link for patients making the difficult decision about whether to have surgery or the procedure to select. Hearing from patients in their own words is the most powerful way to learn. There is a difference between getting better and getting well. An unedited-volunteered description is the way to capture the flavor of whether the patient actually gets well in a way meaningful to their life.
Patients prefer learning from the experiences of patients who a “like them.” Many times patients rely on emotions, basing choices...