Speaking on behalf of patients is not the same as speaking as a patient
Many years ago, Alfred Korzybski wrote that “the map is not the territory.” Gregory Bateson went on to argue that the map, which represents reality, is not the reality. This distinction has implications for the role of patient voice in health care planning and policy.
Today, many organizations are making serious attempts to include the patient voice in policy and decision-making. Unfortunately, more than a …