T = f(DM,DP) 

... where DM is the medical diagnosis and DP is the preference diagnosis.
 We define a preference diagnosis as a doctor’s inference of what a patient would choose if he or she were fully informed. It is an inference because no patient – save perhaps the patient who is also a doctor and world-renowned specialist
 in the very disease with which he or she is afflicted  – is fully informed.
 Preference diagnosis, like medical diagnosis, is often a best estimate based on imperfect information." 

As a Social Worker I see this "misdiagnosis" happening frequently in the welfare, disability, community and ATOD sectors as clients preferences are (mis)interpreted by professionals with the best intentions sometimes with tragic and long-term consequences. 

My experiences with the mainstream health also indicate this is happening far too often.

Of course, I also see that in a veiled effort to consider a client's or patient's preference, one will be asked about their preference after the giving of either too simplistic or too complex information. And with that inadequate information another set of problems arise leaving the client to look elsewhere or else over- or underwhelmed with the practitioner.

Note: Although the article I quote above is referenced in work by Charlesworth et al it is not the reading I intended to select so I will share another post on this board before the week is out.

Cephas