When Compassion Meets Clarity: Out of 100 People, Every One Deserves to Understand

Have you ever sat in a doctor’s office, listening to numbers and percentages, and thought, What does that actually mean for me?

I’ve been there too.I’ve read lab reports filled with numbers that made sense to my doctor but not to me. It wasn’t that I didn’t want the details, I just needed them explained in a way that connected to my life and my body.

That’s why this topic hit home for me. Doctors and nurses use numbers every day, but sometimes those numbers get lost in translation. Patients like me just want to understand what’s happening in plain language.

A recent article in JAMA really spoke to this. It explained how doctors can make medical numbers easier to understand by using clear numbers instead of vague words, keeping the same base (like “out of 100 people”), showing absolute risk instead of relative risk, and giving context for what’s normal and what’s not.(Zikmund-Fisher BJ, Thorpe A, Fagerlin A. “How to Communicate Medical Numbers.” JAMA. 2025. Read here)

Here’s what I wish more doctors would do and what that could sound like:

• Explain what those numbers mean, not just what they are.Example: Instead of saying, “Your BNP is 1800,” explain, “This number shows how hard your heart is working. A normal level is under 100, so this tells us your heart is under real strain and we’ll track this as we treat you.”

• Keep the same base, like “out of 100 people” so we can picture it.Example: “Out of 100 patients who take this medicine, about 8 will see swelling improve within two weeks.” That’s easier to picture than “You have an 8% chance.”

• Avoid vague words like ‘rare’ or ‘common.’Example: Instead of saying, “It’s rare to see this side effect,” say, “About 2 out of 100 people experience it.” That helps me decide if it’s something I should really worry about.

• Always share what’s normal, what the target is, and what it means for you the patient.Example: “Your sodium is 133. The normal range is 135 to 145, so you’re just below normal that can happen when you’re on diuretics, and we’ll recheck it next week.”

  
  

  

When I was told my chances for survival were slim, I fully understood what my doctors were saying.

The medication therapy wasn’t working, and there were no options left because I couldn’t have open heart surgery. But even though I understood the science, it still felt like my humanity got lost in a number.

What I wish someone had said was,

“Out of 100 people, only a few make it, but that means some do. Let’s focus on what’s possible for you.”

That small shift from clinical to compassionate can make all the difference.

Because when we understand our numbers and feel seen in the process, we’re not just informed we’re supported.

Clarity builds trust. And patients deserve both.

💬 What’s one number that’s ever left you scratching your head in an appointment?

#HeartBridgeCollective #HeartSmart #PatientVoice #HealthLiteracy #TrustYourDoctor #ListenToPatients #HospiceSurvivor #Heart2HeartTalk