How The Pocket Doctor began

The seeds that would lead to this new series of medical handbooks for patients were sown in different places and times. A powerful moment of inspiration came in a car dealership as the mechanic explained in baffling technical terms what was wrong with Ben’s car and why it would be so expensive to fix. He realised that many of his patients must feel the same way. He began to think more carefully about how to explain complex medical issues in ways clear and understandable to the layperson.

Some years later, to pay the bills whilst toiling over his PhD thesis, Ben took a part-time job as a medical escort, flying around the world to bring home people who had become ill while overseas and who could not fly without a doctor to accompany them. Typically, they would spend twelve to twenty-four hours together. With this came the luxury of lots of time for the patient and travelling family members to ask Ben all the questions they could think of regarding the patient’s ailments and the future implications. It was an opportunity everyone greatly appreciated.

Later still, David and Ben compared their experiences of coaching friends, family members and acquaintances to ensure they got the correct diagnosis and treatment from other doctors, explaining which symptoms to draw attention to and what questions to ask. Later they’d spend time answering the questions those individuals had not thought to ask their doctors or hadn’t had the time to ask.

From all these experiences, the idea of this series was born. To create a series of handbooks that provide comprehensive information to allow patients to truly understand the disease that affects them, talk knowledgeably with their doctors, take an active part in their own care, and share in decision-making.

All too often, we can feel anxious, scared and helpless when confronted with the diagnosis of a serious and/or complex disease. Our sincere hope is that these handbooks will give you the knowledge and confidence you need to overcome that feeling of helplessness, and to work with your doctors and other healthcare providers for the best possible outcomes.

One last but crucial point: The human body is hugely complex, diseases don’t always behave as the medical textbooks say they should, and conditions and drugs interact. Doctors spend years learning their craft and their whole lifetimes refining it. There is no substitute for the expert opinion of your doctor. The purpose of these handbooks is to enable you to make the most effective use of the time with your doctor, not to replace it.