Dr, will I feel better ? 
Bringing the patient into the decision making process..

Until relatively recently, (and in many cases still recently), doctors have had an arrogance in their approach to advising patients – "trust me I know best". However with Google and other online advice, in many cases patients know a great deal more than the doctors over their specific condition.
In addition much of the advised that most doctors give is based on so-called blinded clinical trials – where the outcome in disease progress, repeat heart attacks etc., and mortality are the basis of their advice to their patients.

It is exciting to see that doctors are now looking at quality of life, and how the patient benefits and feels in them selves, rather than the hard end points of disease and death.
This is especially important in the treatment of cancer - "does having unpleasant chemo which may extend life for some weeks or months, really what is best for the patient and their relatives"," is having this major operation worthwhile,"– in medicine we tend to have the attitude of "if there is something we can do, we usually do it".
Unfortunately also private medicine there is the additional impact of financial remuneration for the doctor and the institution which we must do our utmost to exclude.

It is interesting now in cardiology they are also looking at what is best for making the patient feel better, even if not necessarily for longer. In a publication in the American College of cardiology, they reviewed quality of life comparing angioplasty and bypass surgery and although bypass surgery was possibly slightly better long-term benefit, in many cases the patient would prefer angioplasty rather than the recovery process of a major operation.

In the meantime I think it is important for patients to demand their rights, and asked the doctors for a genuine opinion, if I go ahead with this procedure, is it actually going to make me feel better?