A December phenomenon that drives me nuts.
I'm sorry that your regular neurologist is closed/on vacation/dead until after New Years, and that you don't like the doctor covering for them.
But I'm not some sort of neurological urgent care. Showing up at my office without any old records because of some acute issue you need addressed, and planning to return to your previous doc as soon as they get back, doesn't fly here.
I mean, I have my own patients to take care of, and it's not like you're planning to stay with my practice. You make it pretty clear that you're just coming for me to patch things up until Dr. Wondrous returns/detoxes/is resurrected next week. There's a doctor on call for him. SO CALL THEM, NOT ME!
And I'm really pissed off at your internist for participating in this. He tells you to come see me until Dr. Wondrous comes back, because he doesn't know what to do, and he doesn't know Dr. On-Call, and so he sends me a note that says something like "please manage meds until regular doc returns" or "patient has had neck pain since 1972, please do something about it in Dr. Wondrous absence". These notes are especially grating when written by an internist who never refers to me anyway.
Of course, I have none of your past records, and Dr. Wondrous staff is gone, too, and you have no freaking idea what you've tried before, or if it worked, or what tests you've had done.
This is why we have call groups people. I'm sorry if you don't like the person who covers for your regular neurologist. Tell them when they come back. But I am not providing temporary coverage for them.
You go Dr. G!!! Stand up for yourself!! It never ceases to amaze me what the general public thinks they are entitled to!!!!
ReplyDeleteThat is so crazy! You would think they would just be relieved to be able to get into a doctor at all this week...not the time to be picky.
ReplyDeleteSounds like they need a mega dose of fucitol.
Not just an outpatient event.
ReplyDelete"Dr. Hospitalist, this pt is being managed by your competition, WHH(We hate hospitalists, INC). We called them and the on-call doc said to start drug X but I don't feel comfortable doing that. Can you come see the pt and write for something else?"
Happens at least once a month, usually at night.
One day I'm going to muster the courage to ask a nurse to help take care of my patients even though some other nurses are assigned to those patients...
Hmm. An argument for Patient Held Medical Records? Or national computerised medical records like Sweden? Given a choice, I'd prefer the former, but no doubt most of the patients Dr Grumpy attracts would turn up without them. Even with PHMRs, would one really want to deal with the sort of patients who can't plan/can't delay gratification/ choose neurologists and/or internists who can't arrange for continuity of care if one had a choice?
ReplyDeleteA thought provoking post for the New year.
I don't understand this mindset - do these people think all doctors are like Starbucks....they can get what they want the same way from every doctor's office? And who runs out of meds during holidays? That's just poor management of their own care. We all know the holidays are coming, and common sense says most offices will be closed. Honestly....I don't know how some people manage to use the bathroom by themselves if this is how they think!
ReplyDeleteEveryone runs out of meds during the holidays. Everyone also seems to come to the pharmacy because they ran out of meds over the holidays, are on vacation from a far-away state, don't know their pharmacy name, their doctor's name, or the meds that they need refilled ("can't you look that up in your computer?" NO!) and are pissed when I "won't" give them any meds. "Here's a couple docusate that fell on the floor, and a prenatal vitamin that I licked. Have fun with that."
ReplyDeleteMy verification word is "cythatod". Sounds like something Dr. G should prescribe.
"patient doesn't like the doctor covering for them" - who cares as long as Doctor On-Call takes care of the patient and addresses their medical needs? The MD is supposed to provide medical care, not be your BFF.
ReplyDelete"some acute issue you need addressed" - sounds like the perfect time to go to the ER.
And the internist sounds like a real prince. You're good enough in a pinch as Dr. QuickCare, but not good enough for the internist to refer "permanent" patients to you.
Sounds like the Grumpy Family Vacation should be rescheduled to occur during the times when all the other physicians are on vacation, too. Downside? Then you have to deal w/all those docs being on the same cruise. Not sure which is more irritating.... ;-)
ReplyDelete