2019 e-book Published — Experts by Experience: Patient & Caregiver Stories That Teach

In the variety of emotions and voices, you will recognize a simple truth: “What matters to me is being heard, being taken seriously. I want to know what the doctor knows...or doesn’t know. And, I want to have a voice in decisions made about me.” –member, Mayo Clinic Connect

I'm thrilled to share the second free e-book with you, a collection of patient and caregiver stories published in 2019, in the Experts by Experience series on the Mayo Clinic Social Media Network.

In the second e-book, Experts by Experience: Patient Stories That Teach, you will read about the real life experiences–personal journeys–of fellow patients and caregivers during some of their most vulnerable and challenging times. When patients and caregivers share their trials and triumphs with illness, their stories help others going through similar experiences. When they share their lived experiences, healthcare professionals gain a deeper perspective about patients’ needs, their beliefs and concerns. This knowledge can help them improve communication and make care decisions with patients as partners–all of which can go a long way towards healing.

I’d like to especially thank Mayo Clinic Connect members who contributed their stories to the 2019 collection:

• Meredith Preble @merpreb
• Martin Jensen @predictable
• John Bishop @johnbishop
• Justin McClanahan @JustinMcClanahan
• Ingegerd Enscoe @astaingegerdm
• Victor Montori 
• Lee Aase @LeeAase

The Experts by Experience series brings patients’ perspectives to those who can learn from these experiences–particularly health care providers, and those in health communication and administration. 

The compilation is described as “stories that teach” because patients and caregivers are educators in so many ways–they teach us to find meaning in the loss of health, and help pave the way to create a health care culture that values compassion and inspires shared decision-making between patients and their health care providers. Because “when you are sharing, it offers the opportunity for someone to help you.” –Marala Scott

Download the free e-book (PDF).