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Education just may be one of a woman's most potent weapons in the fight against breast cancer.
And one of the most enthusiastic proponents of "an informed patient is a better patient," Dr. Robert J. Goulet Jr., will speak on the subject Oct. 21 at 1:30 p.m., before the Note-Able Night for the Catherine Peachey Fund.
"The medical environment is shifting from paternalistic to health care consumer, where the patient has ready access to a variety of sources of health care information," he said from Indianapolis recently in a telephone interview. "An informed patient is a much better patient. They know more about what they want in terms of health care."
Goulet's professional title is almost a speech in itself: officially, he is Associate Professor of Surgery Medical Director, Indiana University, Breast Care and Research Center Medical Director, Indiana University Cancer Pavilion.
His Oct. 21 talk, he said, will focus on how patients can take a more active role in their own treatment.
The Internet, patient education forums, government information and even direct patient marketing by pharmaceutical companies have made a difference in keeping patients, or medical care consumers, informed, he said.
Some physicians aren't enthusiastic about patients becoming more active and informed, he said. "The medical community looks at it with great resistance."
But consumers should look at medicine as a commodity, he said, and if a patient and doctor don't agree on philosophy, the patient should shop around until they find a doctor who believes as they do.
"Women have been empowered to be health care consumers and they need to recognize the impact of their role, for their families as well," he said.
Goulet's talk also will focus on the history of breast cancer treatments and will include some of the newer changes, such as diagnosis, biopsy and mammography technology.
The talk, which is free and open to the public, is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Oct. 21 at 2517 Restaurant, Warsaw.
