Start stopping smartly

When presenting options, both words and numbers can certainly confuse, but so can the perceived basis of the choice. Some patients seem convinced that in reality they face a Hobson's choice; one influenced by the disease rather than the doctor. Others seem to regard the decision as similar to selecting the right option in the gameshow 'Who wants to be a millionaire?': the quizmaster can help but is not allowed to reveal the correct answer ahead of time. Perhaps we should collect annual statistics that would allow us, for common decisions at least, to tell patients how others recently in a similar predicament had chosen; and how they had felt afterwards when faced with the consequences of that decision. Collection of this 'phone a friend' data would be difficult, but would better inform patients, and may well rapidly reduce demand for interventions identified as by them as being either 'useless' or 'more trouble than they were worth'.