Dr. Grumpy: "Dr. Grumpy, returning a page."
Mr. Wet: "Um, I have an appointment for tomorrow morning, and it's supposed to rain."
Dr. Grumpy: "Yes?"
Mr. Wet: "I don't like to drive in the rain. Do you know what the chance for rain is?"
Dr. Grumpy: "No sir, I don't. My office will be open, regardless."
Mr. Wet: "Yeah, but... I just don't want to take chances. I hate rain. I'd like to reschedule."
Dr. Grumpy: "Okay, I'll have Mary call you tomorrow."
Mr. Wet: "Do you know what the forecast is for the rest of the week?"
Dr. Grumpy: "No, but I'm sure you can find it on TV, or the newspaper, or the internet."
Mr. Wet: "Can Mary look it up and have it handy when she calls?"
Dr. Grumpy: "Have a good night, sir."
you should have said, "yes for a an additional $100"
ReplyDeleteYou can't be serious...patients wanting YOU to know what the weather forcast is?
ReplyDeleteAmazing.
Would you like to check your stock prices as well? Perhaps your horoscope? Olympic recap?
ReplyDeleteI can't believe the audacity of some people! I mean, I can, but still ... who do they think they are??
ReplyDeleteYou are SO NICE to your patients. If a patient (okay, a client since my patients won't really be using phones) paged me at dinnertime for something like that, I don't think I would be that nice. Do all of your patients have your pager number? Do you have an answering service who screens your calls, or does every single person who wants to talk to you at any hour of the day or night have free access to you?
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you didn't offer to go and pick the patient up!?!
ReplyDeleteMeanie.
:P
I agree, bill him for the time spent, and he'll soon figure out how to use the internet.. or stick his hand out the window.
ReplyDeletePeople will take anything they can get for free, and spend as much time arguing about getting it as they possibly can. I believe our nation encourages this.
-Flavius
It really seems like nobody can cope with anxiety anymore.
ReplyDeleteIts just shocking the level of customer service and the lack of professional values in this day and age. I took my TV to a laywers office and the jerk refused to fix it. What is the world coming to?
ReplyDeleteIs Mr. Wet related to the patient who didn't want to come in on MLK day because the office might be closed?
ReplyDeleteYup. This is really how patients are sometimes.
ReplyDeleteIt's called an umbrella and windshield wipers?
ReplyDeleteSeriously, what's so bad about the rain? (Hell, with the foot of snow still covering my car, I'd freakin' WELCOME rain in my part of the country.)
Dr. G, what percentage of these "stupid" patients are "stupid" because of the medicines they are taking or the problems they are seeing you for? I've taken several anticonvulsants and they made my mind ... fuzzy. Very ... fuzzy.
ReplyDeleteMind you, I am not suggesting we shouldn't laugh at them, just wondering whether to laugh with sympathy or contempt.
This guy isn't on anything.
ReplyDeleteMaybe he SHOULD be.
I'm a librarian, and people ask me all kinds of ridiculous things. I mean, I'm happy to spell the capital of Iraq, track down world records for beer drinking in 1988, offer my opinion on whether the South should have won the Civil War, and yes, even get weather reports for people. But I get asked to give medical advice too - totally inappropriate. As in "What should I do for this rash/insect bite/pinkeye/headache?" Finally, after several episodes of this, I tried this tactic, straight from my son's pediatric nurse: "Squirt a little breast milk on it." That's my stock answer for everything now (hey, it can't hurt, right?) and I find I get asked those kinds of questions a lot less often!
ReplyDeleteYou are a far more patient man than I.
ReplyDeleteoh. dear. God. Seriously?
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, the patient must have a lot of respect for you that he thinks you can magically know the week's upcoming weather . . . . he wouldn't ask a dummy, right?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Celeste. Sounds like anxiety gone awry.
ReplyDeleteThis is quite hilarious. I love your posts!!
ReplyDelete