Bridging the Gap Between Patients and Physicians

Nearly halfNearly 100%

Patients want doctors to understand what they are really going through. Doctors really want to know. Yet a gap persists. One way to help close it is for patients to keep good records of their symptoms, triggers, and flares to discuss with the doctor. In order to compare patient and physician opinions, we asked 100 specialists who routinely treat UC patients (gastroenterologists) about their experiences.

What doctors don’t know: More than 40% of patients say doctors underestimate how much UC affects their lives. For instance, while nearly half of patients have 3 or more flares each year, doctors think less than a quarter do. Both patients (59%) and doctors (66%) agree that there is a need for more awareness of UC among doctors.

Tracking symptoms: Almost all doctors want patients to keep some kind of symptoms diary or log. More than half (56%) say their patients are doing this. However, only 17% of patients report tracking symptoms in a diary or log. In addition, 43% of patients say they do not keep track of their UC symptoms and flares in any way. Only 6% of doctors say their patients do not track their own symptoms.

Learning online: 46% of patients say they look online for information about UC. More than half of the gastroenterologists in the study say they use the Web to learn about UC themselves. 43% of doctors say its good when patients bring in information they found on the Web.

 

How to help your doctor understand your UC

  • Track your symptoms/flares

    • Once flares pass, it can be hard to remember how long they lasted, how bad they were and what might have triggered them. Keep a diary or log of your symptoms so you can give your doctor all the details, even if your visits are months apart. Get a UC symptoms diary you can use to track your symptoms.

  • Get questions ready

    • Make a list of things you want to ask or talk about before you go to your doctor. That way you won’t forget to discuss something important while you’re there. You can find a list to start with here.

  • Tell all your symptoms

    • It’s not always easy to talk about UC. You may feel funny talking about going to the bathroom. Doctors are used to it though, and they need you to tell them everything so they can give you the best care and recommend a treatment that will work to keep your UC under control.

Digestive Disease National Coalition