Earlier this year, the American College of Surgeons, the national scientific and educational organization of surgeons, conducted a nationwide survey that found that the average patient devotes an hour or less to researching his or her surgery or surgeon. While prospective patients worry about the costs or complications of an operation, they don’t necessarily look for information that would address their concerns.

　　In fact, more than a third of patients who had an operation in the last five years never reviewed the credentials of the surgeon who operated. Patients are more likely to spend time researching a job change (on average, about 10 hours) or a new car (8 hours) than the operation they are about to submit to or the surgeon who wields the knife. And many patients are satisfied with the answers they receive from their surgeon or primary care doctor, whoever those individuals happen to be.

　　I felt curious about the survey, so I called Dr. Thomas Russell, executive director of the American College of Surgeons. “There is a tendency for patients not to get probably involved and not to feel compelled to look into their surgery or surgeons,” he told me.

　　There are consequences to that kind of blind trust. “Today, medicine and surgery are really team sports,” Dr. Russell continued, “and the patient, as the ultimate decision maker, is the most important member of the team. Mistakes can happen, and patients have to be educated and must understand what is going on.”

　　In other words, a healthy doctor-patient relationship does not simply entail good bedside manners and responsible office management on the part of the doctor. It also requires that patients come to the relationship educated about their doctors, their illnesses and their treatment.

　　“If we are truly going to reform the health care system in the U.S.,” Dr. Russell said, “everybody has to participate actively and must educate themselves. That means doctors, nurses, other health care professionals, lawyers, pharmaceutical companies, and insurance companies. But most of all, it means the patient.”

　　Trust is important. But as Sir Francis Bacon, who was among the first to understand the importance of gathering data in science, once observed, knowledge is power.

　　病人太信任医生?

　　今年早些时候，作为国家级外科医生的科学及教育机构的美国外科医生学会进行了一次全国普查调查发现病人用于咨询自己的手术或是外科医生的时间平均不到一个小时。尽管即将成为病人的人们担心手术的费用或是手术引起的并发症，但他们却不会查询那些可能为他们解决问题的信息。

　　事实上，过去五年来超过三分之一的做过手术的病人从未审核过主刀医生的资格凭证。病人更愿意花时间寻找跳槽的机会(平均为10小时)或是查询一辆新车(8小时)，也不会查询要做的手术或是主刀医生的信息。无论主刀医生和初级护理的医生是谁，许多病人都对他们给出的答案感到满意。

　　对这一调查结果我感到很好奇，于是打电话给美国外科医生学会的执行理事托马斯·罗素博士。“病人通常不倾向于参与其中，也不感到必须要询问手术或是医生”，他这样告诉我。

　　这样的盲目信任是要付出代价的。“现在，内科与外科治疗都属于团队行为”，罗素博士接着说道“而病人作为最终的决策者是这个团队最重要的成员。错误时有发生，病人必须知情，必须了解事情的进展。”

　　换言之，健康的医患关系不是简单需要医生单方面的精心照顾和负责任的事务管理，同时需要病人了解自己的医生、疾病和治疗方案。

　　“如果我们真的要改革美国的医疗保险制度”，罗素博士说，“每个人都必须积极地参与进来，进行自我教育，包括医生、护士、其他医保专业人士、律师、制药公司和保险公司，但最重要的是病人自身。”

　　信任很重要。但正如最早明白采集数据之于科学的重要。