Friday, August 28, 2009

Screw You, Dr. Rude

Whenever another doc calls and tells Mary to interrupt me, I take the call. I do this because I assume there's an urgent patient matter they need to discuss with me.

Likewise, I'll usually take a few minutes between patients to talk to new docs who call looking for business. When I started in 1998 I went to every medical plaza I could find to hand out cards and ask for work, and still appreciate those docs who were willing to meet with me.

So today I'm with a new patient and Mary comes back to flag me down. She says Dr. Rude is on the phone (I've never heard of him) and told her he urgently needs to talk to me about a case.

So I apologize to the patient sitting in my office and pick up the phone. "This is Dr. Grumpy."

Dr. Rude: "Hi, I'm Dr. Rude. I'm a new specialist in your area, and have just opened my office. I wanted to make you aware that my practice is accepting new patients, and I'd appreciate any referrals you might send my way".

I thanked him and hung up. With a patient across the desk from me, I'm not going to start yelling at another doc.

Piss on you, Dr. Rude. I'm not sending you any damn patients. Having me interrupted by lying to Mary about the reason for your sales call is just wrong. You may be a good doc, but manners mean a lot, too.
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9 comments:

  1. rxBambiAugust 28, 2009 at 5:17 PM

    Good for you Dr G! I deal with docs on a daily basis and while I find most of them entertaining and friendly, some treat me like I'm a peon. I am not a peon. I am a princess and I deserve to be treated as such! Harumph!

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  2. AnonymousAugust 28, 2009 at 7:33 PM

    What a douche. Great way to make a good impression by lying.

    FAIL!

    LD50 Rat

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  3. Mr. CondescendingAugust 28, 2009 at 8:47 PM

    What an idiot!

    By the way, I just found your blog and love it!

    ReplyDelete
  4. LilorfnannieAugust 28, 2009 at 9:09 PM

    I want to know if you have silicone-sealed that nifty tank-thing freebie for Ed yet, and when you are going to let us see Ed in his new home :-)

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  5. Becky the TechieAugust 28, 2009 at 11:12 PM

    Thanks. That kind of doctor, I've noticed, usually turns out to be the kind of customer-patient I'd like to lobotomize with a Scripto.

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  6. CrownedwithVictoryAugust 29, 2009 at 8:56 AM

    I thank you for the rest of General Q. Public, that you are not referring Dr. Rude to care for us.

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  7. thegooddrlauraAugust 30, 2009 at 12:36 PM

    Good for you! When I call another doctor, I NEVER ask for them to be interrupted. Interrupting them means it's an EMERGENCY that can't wait 15 minutes -- and if it's that much of an emergency, I'll be calling an ambulance, thank you very much.

    On the other hand, when I was in primary care and I got a call from a specialist, I would leave a patient room to take the call because I never knew when/if I'd get them on the phone again, and it was always about a specific patient. Otherwise they would have no reason to call a Family Doctor.

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  8. AnonymousAugust 31, 2009 at 8:40 AM

    I'm guessing he's surgeon or a cardiologist. Probably not pediatrics or psych.

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  9. ndenunzAugust 31, 2009 at 3:56 PM

    My guess is gastroenterologist.

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So wadda you think?