When Doctor Are Patients
Entry posted by ajcee
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“When Doctors Are Patients,”a book published in 1952, is the result of 33 doctors whose lives took a different direction after suffering a serious illness, thereby gaining insight as to what their patients are truly experiencing. Similar books have been written and are available through Amazon. They became better doctors after learning to identify with their patients, becoming better listeners and empathic with their plights. Perhaps, during their residency they should be injected with a virus causing serious illness for a limited period, to be repeated every five years. lol
To be fair, there are some doctors who haven't become jaded and are capable of maintaining objectivity and compassion simultaneously. Of the many I have seen throughout my years, they can only be counted on one hand. What they share in common is a continued excitement for their specialty and a willingness to share their knowledge with their patient in relation to the patient's concern..With the exception of one, they are in their sixties or seventies, love teaching other physicians,and give freely of their time without stealing glances at their wristwatch. The one mentioned, is a neurologist about 40, adverse to the growing trend of indifference to patient centered medicine.
I recently had to wear a heart monitor for 24 hours. When I picked up the device at my cardiologist's office,I explained to his nurse practitioner that I can't return it the next day as I rely on the county's paratransit bus which requires several days notice. She passed this information to the cardiologist and he stated he will pick it up at my house ( a distance of 25 miles) the next day. This is a man who heads a cardiologist group of several doctors with a very busy practice. The nurse insisted that she will pick it up, which she did. This doctor also reminds me, as I am sure he does others with mobility problems, that if snow or ice is present on a winter appointment, not to hesitate to cancel on the same day.
I use Healthgrades on the internet to screen doctors. It is excellent for schooling background, hospital affiliations, specialty areas, malpractice clearance and patient reviews and allows for comparison of other physicians in the same field and locality. I haven't always had luck though and use with caution.
One incident of choosing a neurologist with a hospital other than the nearby State university, which I became disillusioned with their staff of neurologists, proved to be a calamity. The neurologist is a Director of Neurophysiology,has Ivy league degrees, did his internship and residency in the country's finest hospital and authored two books and many scientific papers. Stroke was listed with his many specialties. I arranged an appointment stating that my visit is stroke related and was told the doctor only sees outpatients after 4 PM, and the appointment was arranged four weeks in advance.
I met with the doctor on the first floor level as he searched for an empty office where he took my history on his lap top and then told me his specialty is epilepsy and he is not too familiar with strokes and can't help me, but referred me to a neurologist well experienced. He billed me extra for after hours fee , which my insurance denied and $60.00 for a ten minute telephone call to the neurologist he referred me to. I refused to pay for after charges and the phone call, which made no sense to me since he had nothing to relate to the referred doctor. He was not included in my list of ten neurologists, but the referred neurologist is No.8 on my list. I sometimes wonder that some doctors should be patients...in an insane ward!.
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