When Evidence-Based Care Collides With Personal Belief

When Evidence-Based Care Collides With Personal Belief

From The Bari Chronicles by Damien Verner & Tash Jarrett

January 18, 2026 · 33 min

About this episode

Damo and Tash discuss the impact of personal bias in healthcare, particularly in relation to bariatric surgery and patient experiences.

In this episode of The Bari Chronicles , Damo and Tash unpack a confronting and deeply unsettling healthcare experience that many people living in larger bodies know all too well. What should have been a simple GP appointment to update a referral for revision surgery became a stark example of how personal bias can override evidence-based care. Tash shares what it was like to sit in front of a medical professional who openly opposed bariatric surgery, dismissed lived experience, and relied on opinion rather than data — and how different that interaction could have been if she were less informed, less confident, or earlier in her journey. This conversation is not about attacking individual doctors or discrediting medicine. It is about what happens when personal belief collides with patient-centred care, and the emotional toll that takes on people who cannot “unring the bell” of past treatment decisions. Together, Damo and Tash discuss: Medical bias and moral judgement in healthcare settings The difference between opinion and evidence-based practice Why advocacy matters, especially when power dynamics are at play Red flags to watch for when building a healthcare team What…

People in this episode

Hosts: Damien Verner, Tash Jarrett

Topics covered

  • healthcare bias
  • patient-centered care
  • bariatric surgery
  • evidence-based practice
  • medical advocacy
  • healthcare experiences

Keywords

  • healthcare
  • bias
  • bariatric surgery
  • patient experience
  • evidence-based care
  • advocacy
  • medical professionals

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