Ray Dalio, the author of Principles, had some problems with his esophagus. He went to see three experts, and everyone had a different diagnosis. This experience at least tells you that even experienced doctors may give different treatment suggestions for the same disease. Therefore, the doctor's personal experience alone is not completely reliable.

You can't just go to the doctor for a life-and-death illness. Like Dario, the chances of getting the best plan are greatly increased by comprehensively analyzing the suggestions of many doctors.

? Evidence-based medicine: combining the best research evidence available at present, doctors' professional skills and experience, and considering patients' values and wishes, the three are combined to formulate treatment plans for patients.

? Evidence-based medicine is evidence+experience+patient's will, and the most important thing is evidence. Evidence is king.

Level 5 evidence of evidence-based medicine

Level 5 evidence: personal experience, the most unreliable;

Level 4 evidence: the comparison before and after treatment is relatively good; Level 3 evidence: Compared with Level 5 and Level 4, it is more reliable.

Level 2 evidence: a randomized controlled study. FDA's evaluation of new drugs depends on the results of randomized controlled trials.

Level 1 evidence: Meta-analysis, taking all the randomized controlled studies published all over the world and making objective evaluation with a set of scientific methods, the conclusion is more reliable.

This is first-class evidence, and it is the highest-level evidence.

The biggest advantage of evidence-based medicine is the comprehensive evaluation of all available evidence. Whether a treatment is good or not depends on what doctors all over the world say, thus avoiding the deviation caused by doctors' personal experience.

Secondly, the conclusion of evidence-based medicine can be standardized and popularized to avoid the difference of treatment level caused by different doctors' level.

Evidence-based medicine is the solution for patients to get the best treatment.

Five core questions you should communicate with your doctor (as detailed as possible, in order of weight)

1. Do I really need this examination, treatment or operation?

2. What are the risks or shortcomings?

3. What are the possible side effects?

4. Is there any other simpler and safer option?

5. What will happen if I do nothing?

The core of choice is to make a rational comprehensive judgment based on current information, probability and patient expectation.