Compiling a list of patient Experts - yes or no?

Dan

I think that compliling a list of 'patient expert' is far from a good idea for many verious reasons..

This is an informal forum, where it's basically a group of diabetics sharing there experiences of living with diabetes, sharing information on what and how we control our diabetes day to day, that gives us good control...

The forum deals with a medical condition, not the inner workings of a computer, and what is the best graphics card or the better processor where the notion of an expert can acutally fudge verious lines, but if an individual isn't as 'expert' as they feel they are, the damaged is basically limited to the listiener, a naff computer, broken computer and out of pocket..

Here information given by those who think they are 'expert' but fall below this, actually could be doing someone physical harm, leading them either into life threaten short and/or long term dangers... The criteria that you are suggesting is far too basic indeed, and open to abuse in many ways..


Would you really want some-one PM'ing/e-mailing you and saying, I'm the mum of little Johnny, and I asked this question on your fourm as little Johnny was having a bad time, your 'patient expert' fred bloggs told me to do this which I did, after all they are as you say an 'patient expert' but now little Johnny is in ITU and they not sure if he will come out of his comma that he's been in for the last 3 weeks, since I followed the advice of your 'Patient Expert' A very far cry from a nasty pm, saying I followed your 'expert' and bullsied up my computer!

I feel the more we keep away from giving the preception of 'experts' within the forum will ensure that visitors and newbies will realise that it's informal, as we are dealing with a medical condition a perception that 'Patient Experts' are the same as our helath care medical experts who have medical quailifications to underpin there knowledge... We don't all we can say is that we are expert in the day to day runing of our own persoanl condition...

i totally agree with jopar on this one, it could end up being dangerous ground

totsy said:

i totally agree with jopar on this one, it could end up being dangerous ground

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..........and me too! A very sensible post indeed!

John

And another that wholeheartedly agrees with Jopars post .

lovinglife said:

I totally agree with you Jopar - I think that this idea is a really bad one - who is to judge just who is an "patient expert"? - the only expertise any of us have is on our OWN diabetes- I think it would totally tip the balance of this forum and for the reasons you gave it worries me.

On a personal note it would probably put me off coming on here as I would feel like I was being preached to (I have seen that happen a few times on here anyway without somebody having the tag of patient expert to back them up :? ) The MODERATOR 1,2,3, thing already creeps me out a bit - although I accept and understand why - I still don't like the idea of the mods not having names. I think the expert patient thing would have me running for the hills :lol:

lovinglife

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.............and I agree with all that too! Another very sensible post!

A agree with all the above comments and had already registered a NO vote for the same reasons so eloquently outlined by jopar.

I would prefer to read advice from a variety of members as is the case now, some I agree with others I don't but as we are all individuals we all have certain experiences to share, if I want input from just one expert I will speak to my Doctor or D nurse, but as I have learned more from the members here, why alter things, if the 'expert' who is nominated to speak on a particular board is someone who's advice I may take with a pinch of salt then I will no longer read that board.

If it aint broke, mess about with it till it is, is not a good way to move forward IMO

When I first saw this thread my alarm bells rang! First of all it would change the whole ethos of the site.

If this had been in operation when I was first looking on here for help I doubt that I would have had half of the helpful replies which I received. Since I am fairly newly diagnosed I don’t know very much more than the basics myself but I do remember how grateful I felt when someone posted a reply, even when it was just to express fellow feeling, and that is why I do the same for others when I have the time. If there were official ‘experts’ I would feel very much constrained from taking part.

In any case who decides who is an expert and what do they base the decision on? I also wonder if they might even need insurance cover if they were acting in an official capacity and how would that be paid for.

I think that this is a very dodgy idea with more ramifications than you can shake a stick at!

I am also very pleased to have some order back to the forum – I really missed the input!

i thought for quite a while about this. Although in theory it sounds a good idea, I don't think in practice it is. I am wary of anybody who styles themselves an expert. They come on and tell us they are Dr's or Diabetic Educator's, Diabetes Representatives or some other such spurious title bestowed on them because they attended a course or such like.

We could claim to be anything on here as I am sure there are some who do. There posts usually show them for what they are and they are certainly no 'experts.'

Everybody here is an individual with experiences of different kinds. That is what I like to see and hear, not somebody telling me they have some sort of 'qualification' from the year dot so they are entitled to be considered an expert. I don't think so !

I like the system as it is, one thing I would like to see changed is the title, 'Ask the Expert's'........we don't have any, just members who answer posts, that's all. I think it is misleading to new members and old alike. Why can't it just be called 'Ask a Question ?'

Ken.

If there are people here who consider themselves experts then we all need to worry. The only expertise that most of us have is in the management of our own diabetes. We can give advice based on our own experiences and what we have read and researched. That is far from being an expert.

I have mentioned before that, "Ask the Experts" is a misleading title as the replies are from fellow diabetics who are not experts.

Well all the posts seem to be negative to this idea, yet the votes do not correspond to it,
25 no, 25 yes?

The people who agree with it are obviously not posting their reasons why. :lol:

cugila said:

............one thing I would like to see changed is the title, 'Ask the Expert's'........we don't have any, just members who answer posts, that's all. I think it is misleading to new members and old alike. Why can't it just be called 'Ask a Question ?' ........

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.............I agree entirely with that too.

cugila said:

I like the system as it is, one thing I would like to see changed is the title, 'Ask the Expert's'........we don't have any, just members who answer posts, that's all. I think it is misleading to new members and old alike. Why can't it just be called 'Ask a Question ?'

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This is a very good idea, there are too many self-appointed experts on here as it is.

I am one who initially voted ' yes' but I have, on reflection, changed my mind. There is no way to change the vote however.
I do not see how we could certify that somebody on here is an 'expert' especially members who are 'just' diabetics and not qualified HCP's. No offence but we each have a good narrow based view on diabetes based on our own experiences and type so cannot be considered 'experts'.

Changing the 'Expert' forum title seems like a good idea as well, experienced....yes. Experts...no.

Could always change it to

"Seek advice"

" Seek advice"

Yes, that is a much better title!