Building better health care with consumers

Dr Brett Scholz - Tall Poppy winner Dr Brett Scholz aims to shake up the health care system by incorporating the experiences of users. ANU expert Dr Brett Scholz says consumers of health care know the system in a completely different way to a medical professional. "They've had to deal with the noisy waiting room as they anticipate the results of their cancer screening, and they've experienced the limited selection of food options from the hospital café as they undergo their third week of outpatient recovery," Dr Scholz said. "Not to mention only they understand how certain experiences can marginalise them." It's this line of thinking that inspired Dr Scholz's research on how to better include patients and their loved ones in health care decisions. These decisions have traditionally been made by medical professionals, allied health workers, and policy makers. Dr Scholz is re-imagining this by bringing health care recipients into the discussions and decisions that directly affect them. While those receiving health care have significant first-hand experience and knowledge in these systems, "their expertise often goes unrecognised", according to Dr Scholz.