I was at the dentist today and they had me fill out a 9 (or so) item form about cancer screening. I’m all for screening where it is needed, but the 9 items that required my signature were not necessary. They were just stats. 27% of this (fear here) and some group of (fear there) do not require my initials.

Let me sign that I do or do not want the screening procedure that is more expensive and move on. If I can’t afford the screening, or don’t want it, let me opt out. Let me just check, “No,” sign the form, and move on.

Forms designed like this upset me because they’re designed to scare patients and to earn the office more money through fear and nonsense. Let’s do away with fear as marketing and leave it to the terrorists. They’re better at it anyway.