Friday, November 13, 2009

Say WHAT?

I'm reading through hospital records on a patient who's coming in later today. They include a consult note from another local neurologist, which contained this statement:


"This patient's confusion is from a multifactorial toxic-metabolic encephalopathy. This is primarily caused by, but not limited to, multifactorial causes from multifactorial medical issues, multifactorial medications, and other multiple multifactorial factors. Multifactorial treatments focused on addressing these multiple multifactorial issues may or may not result in a polyfactorial and/or multifactorial improvement in his multifactorial toxic-metabolic encephalopathy."
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51 comments:

  1. 3sweetiesNovember 13, 2009 at 12:04 PM

    Well, that certainly clears up any confusion.

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  2. AnonymousNovember 13, 2009 at 12:12 PM

    Maybe its a test to see if anyone is reading the chart?

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  3. AnonymousNovember 13, 2009 at 12:18 PM

    Is the word of the day multifactorial?

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  4. Disgruntled RPhNovember 13, 2009 at 12:20 PM

    So, I'm thinking he basically had no clue what was wrong and was trying to make that sound better. Wow, the s**t you have to wade thru.....

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  5. AnonymousNovember 13, 2009 at 12:27 PM

    you have GOT to be kidding me.

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  6. MaggieNovember 13, 2009 at 12:28 PM

    So, like, this patient's confusion is from a lot of stuff, and is caused by a lot of stuff, as well as a lot more stuff, and should be treated by a lot of stuff, which may or may not improve stuff.

    But I'm easily confused.

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  7. FlaviusNovember 13, 2009 at 12:38 PM

    multiple multifactorial factors... I'm definitely using that.

    -Flavius

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  8. moppieNovember 13, 2009 at 12:44 PM

    Sounds like a kid trying to make their papers longers but don't know what to write.

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  9. Grumpy, M.D.November 13, 2009 at 12:45 PM

    I know. And it's not like we get paid by the syllable or word.

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  10. Dr. DadNovember 13, 2009 at 12:45 PM

    Multiple multifactorial- that's a whole lotta something. And I think we're knee deep in it!

    Thank heavens he tried mutifactorial treatments- what else could he do?

    Better yet, if we're lucky the patient might get polyfactorial and/or multifactorial improvement. Isn't that what we all want for our patients?

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  11. JimAtTheRezNovember 13, 2009 at 12:53 PM

    I'm multifactorially confused.

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  12. KateANovember 13, 2009 at 1:04 PM

    So, multifactorial is the new "umm" or "like." You just through it in there to fill up space.

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  13. PranabNovember 13, 2009 at 1:21 PM

    omg... this isn't for real, right? creative license and all?

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  14. Grumpy, M.D.November 13, 2009 at 1:24 PM

    It's real.

    This guy is known for redundant verbosity redundance, though this was impressive even by his standards.

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  15. The Derownsh ManNovember 13, 2009 at 1:28 PM

    Maybe he has Tourette's and he's had a lot of therapy to make him say "multifactorial" instead of "fucking."

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  16. CelesteNovember 13, 2009 at 1:32 PM

    Invite him out some night for a drinking game with one of his reports. You do the reading, make him do the drinking. Maybe the hangover could be educational.

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  17. C.November 13, 2009 at 1:49 PM

    "Hello? Department of Redundancy Department."

    *shakes head*

    Let's see if I understand this statement right (I'm an engineer):

    The Patient's confusion is caused by a toxic-metabolic encephalopathy with more than one cause, whether it be medications or other issues and causes. It may take more than one type of treatment to get everything and even then it may not work... entirely.

    Does that about cover it? *wry* (or am I totally wrong here...)

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  18. DorisNovember 13, 2009 at 1:56 PM

    Hey, Derownsh Man...

    "This patient's confusion is from a fucking toxic-metabolic encephalopathy. This is primarily caused by, but not limited to, a lot of fucking causes from fucking medical issues, fucking medications, and other multiple fucking factors. Fucking treatments focused on addressing these multiple fucking issues may or may not result in a really fucking and/or merely fucking improvement in his fucking toxic-metabolic encephalopathy."

    I say, I think he's got it!

    >:p

    Doris

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  19. AnonymousNovember 13, 2009 at 2:00 PM

    Idiopathic.

    That's all I have to add.

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  20. FrecklesNovember 13, 2009 at 2:12 PM

    So basically the doctor is like... "Well I have no clue what is going on so I am going to send him to Dr. Grumpy. However I have no clue what is wrong... How do I possibly make this sound like I am not a complete idiot." And out comes the the world's most no committal paragraph. And severe abuse of the word multifactoral.

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  21. AnonymousNovember 13, 2009 at 2:42 PM

    I'm hoping he dictates and rambles without realizing what he's rambling about because it's particularly scary if he actually wrote that stuff.

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  22. AndrewNovember 13, 2009 at 2:56 PM

    Hm, sounds like someone needs to buy him a thesaurus.

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  23. FrankNovember 13, 2009 at 3:33 PM

    The Patient's confusion is from listening to the doctor speak speak multifactorially. This multifactorial issue is caused by multifactorial and/or polyfactorial issues of the multifactorial nature. ... Multifactorial.

    I wonder, did that doctor get his degree from Multifactorial University?

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  24. pAulaNovember 13, 2009 at 3:35 PM

    ahhhh, another example of mastering the art of speaking without saying anything!

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  25. Pharmacy Jocky.November 13, 2009 at 3:42 PM

    reminds me of Supper Troopers and how many times can I saw meow or in this case multifactorial.p

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  26. KimNovember 13, 2009 at 4:20 PM

    Doc that consult note is just ridiculous, he goes from multifactorial to POLYfactorial. Poly....Seriously?

    Pharmacy Jocky that comment has all kinds of WIN in it. Love Super Troopers! Alright meow....

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  27. FunnyrunnerNovember 13, 2009 at 4:24 PM

    I think it was a game to see how many times he could (she) use the word multifactorial in one day. Must've been the word of the day...

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  28. AnonymousNovember 13, 2009 at 5:09 PM

    HuH??? Clear as mud--stumbling verbage personified!
    CP

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  29. ausduckNovember 13, 2009 at 5:20 PM

    Hang on... the difference between multifactorial and polyfactorial is.... a few letters of the alphabet??!

    I guess that he may have thought perhaps that multifactorial had been used a tad too much so put another word in there from the Idiot's Guide to Thesaurus' lol.

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  30. cynicNovember 13, 2009 at 6:41 PM

    Sounds like a psychiatrists dictation. I did not think anyone read their notes besides themselves.

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  31. SusanNovember 13, 2009 at 7:59 PM

    I would give this person a wide berth in the hallways....

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  32. Pharmer JonesNovember 13, 2009 at 8:23 PM

    I would refuse to believe that this was dictated/written by an actual physician, except that you're the one telling us about it.

    Re: Doris' interpretation-- I'd much rather read the cussing. It's more straightforward!

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  33. webhillNovember 13, 2009 at 8:43 PM

    He has OCD, and has to use the word "multifactorial" nine times in each patient assessment, or else he has to go back and rewrite it?

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  34. QexNovember 13, 2009 at 8:44 PM

    I almost wonder if he tried Law or business school before he became a doctor

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  35. AnonymousNovember 13, 2009 at 8:45 PM

    LOL!

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  36. The Lonely MidwifeNovember 13, 2009 at 9:21 PM

    I feel for the person who had to listen to this crap dictation!

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  37. Frantic PharmacistNovember 13, 2009 at 9:32 PM

    I think we're being too hard on the guy. All he's trying to say is, "patient needs a good poop."

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  38. AnonymousNovember 13, 2009 at 10:27 PM

    It sounds like this patient has a poor prognosis...

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  39. tottergirlNovember 13, 2009 at 10:48 PM

    Brain go splody!

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  40. AnonymousNovember 13, 2009 at 11:54 PM

    In Georgia I had an attending (who used to round in overalls) who had a famous quote on rounds:

    "What in the hell did you just say?"

    I can hear him in my mind reading this consult note.

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  41. MeNovember 14, 2009 at 12:33 AM

    what's the main factor in the patients prognosis?

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  42. SumDoodNovember 14, 2009 at 2:03 AM

    I think it's the doctor who has a poor prognosis.

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  43. AnonymousNovember 14, 2009 at 11:46 AM

    read between the lines. it means the patient is crazy.

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  44. AnonymousNovember 14, 2009 at 9:46 PM

    Coming from working previously as a medical secretary, I would HATE to have to transcribe his dictation. Whoever does can not be getting paid enough. YIKES!!!!

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  45. jNovember 14, 2009 at 10:01 PM

    LOL Doris & Derownsh

    CYA at its best.

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  46. DragonflyNovember 15, 2009 at 7:23 AM

    Make sure there is a multidisciplinary meeting to discuss the biopsychosociospiritual aspects of this complex and multifactorial case.

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  47. Doctor DNovember 15, 2009 at 5:58 PM

    Grumpy, you should call in some Aricept for this guy. I don't think he'd be able to manage to write the script himself.

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  48. AnonymousNovember 15, 2009 at 10:49 PM

    Is the patient the one who's confused or the doctor?

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  49. AnonymousNovember 16, 2009 at 12:20 PM

    Doris: That was awesome!

    Thanks Doc Grumpy.

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  50. AnonymousNovember 19, 2009 at 2:02 AM

    Guarantee the doc or the transcriptionist is a stoner. Either or.
    It sounded good at the time, man.

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  51. AnonymousJanuary 21, 2010 at 10:50 AM

    Now I know why people rely on Craigslist's forums for a diagnosis.

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So wadda you think?