Health & public value English
Living proof: patient stories and evidence
This page considers living proof: patient stories and evidence through measurable outcomes, transparent governance and a balanced view of benefits, risks and uncertainty.
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What this page covers
Personal experiences can explain what care feels like, but they cannot by themselves establish how well or safely a treatment works for other people.
- Treat a story as one person's experience
- Check whether clinical evidence supports broader claims
- Look for balanced discussion of benefits and harms
- Never infer a guaranteed outcome
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Evidence before conclusions
Stories, awards and program claims are most useful when their criteria, methods, time period, decision-makers and measurable outcomes are transparent.