He's dead, Jim

This question came up on a survey last night (PD = Parkinson's Disease):

I really love the 5th answer. In all honesty, I can't recall ever having received a patient referral from a pathologist.

Which is probably good.

Department of the Obvious

Actual headline this afternoon in USA Today:

Thank you, SMOD!

Tuesday afternoon

Mary: "I can't believe it's this empty."

Dr. Grumpy: "Maybe because it's summer."

Mary: "The phone is barely ringing this afternoon."

Dr. Grumpy: "You should start calling people."

Mary: "Who should I call?"

Dr. Grumpy: "I don't know. Just get out an old phone directory, and start randomly calling people. Tell them they have an appointment tomorrow."

Mary: "Yeah, right. Who's going to believe that?"

Dr. Grumpy: "When they say you have a wrong number, tell them they were referred for memory loss."

IT'S A MIRACLE! HALLELUJAH!

Dr. Grumpy: "What can I do for you, sir?"

Mr. Wheelchair: "My legs are completely paralyzed! I can't walk!"

Dr. Grumpy: "How long has this been going on?"

Mr. Wheelchair: "2 months, and no one can find a cause for it."

Dr. Grumpy: "Do you..."

(patient's cell phone rings, and he looks at it)

Mr. Wheelchair: "Hang on, doc, I have to take this. Let me step out."

(Gets out of wheelchair, walks out to lobby, mumbles into phone for a minute, hangs up, comes back and sits in wheelchair)

Mr. Wheelchair: "Anyway, they tell me there's nothing wrong with me, and that my tests are normal. It's very frustrating, because I can't move my legs at all, and..."

Thank you for this interesting consult

Actual chart note I saw on Friday:


"Patient has history of Alzheimer's disease. Currently has obvious memory deficits. Will consult neurology to see if they can find a cause for his memory loss."

Broadcast journalism

Yes, folks, this actually aired today on California TV station KTVU.






They've since apologized, and both they and the NTSB are blaming the error on an unidentified "summer intern."

Patient quote of the day

From a retired surgeon:

"I had surgery for osteomyelitis as a kid. We didn't have all that fancy antibiotic shit they do now."

Fun with Mary

Sometimes an annoying patient won't take no for an answer.


Mr. Pest: "So, Mary, can we get together this Saturday?"

Mary: "No, thank you. I have plans."

Mr. Pest: "Come on... we'll have fun."

Mary: "I'm not interested, sir. I have a boyfriend."

Mr. Pest: "You could still go out with me."

Mary: "Okay, how about you and I take a drive over to Southtown this weekend? Could you pick me up?"

Mr. Pest: "Sure, but Southtown? By the prison? That's a terrible area. Why do you want to go there?"

Mary: "My boyfriend needs a ride home. He's being released on parole."

Mrs. Grumpy agrees

Dr. Grumpy: "This is Dr. Grumpy, returning a page."

Nurse Newbie: "Hi, I'm the nurse taking care of Mr. Harry Plegia, in room 842."

Dr. Grumpy: "What can I do for you?"

Nurse Newbie: "Well, there was a consult written for you to see the patient 3 days ago, and we never heard back from you. I was wondering if you'd even gotten it, and when you'd be by to see him?"

Dr. Grumpy: "Um... I did the consult 3 days ago. And I've been following him daily since then."

Nurse Newbie: "Really? Because there was a family member here about 2 hours ago, who was looking through the chart, and told me he wanted to get another MRI. I don't know how he got the chart. Anyway, I called the hospitalist, and he told me to run it by you."

Dr. Grumpy: "Two hours ago? That was me! I came over and told you I wanted to do another MRI, but the computer ordering system was down when I tried to put it in."

Nurse Newbie: "That was you? Not a family member?"

Dr. Grumpy: "Yes!"

(pause)

Nurse Newbie: "Doctor, you really should dress better."

Pulp

Miss Print: "Hello, Throwaway Rags, can I help you?"

Dr. Grumpy: "This is Dr. Ibee Grumpy. You guys shipped me a huge box of magazines for my lobby."

Miss Print: "Let me see. Yes, you're on our list to receive 50 copies a month."

Dr. Grumpy: "I didn't order them, and I don't want them. Please take me off the list."

Miss Print: "Have you looked through our magazine?"

Dr. Grumpy: "Yes. It's 90% paid advertising, extolling the virtues of Wirth-Liss Pharmaceuticals overpriced medications."

Miss Print: "Well, Wirth-Liss Pharmaceuticals is paying for every neurologist to receive 50 free copies to share with your patients. Education is important. You can place them in your lobby."

Dr. Grumpy: "I don't want them in my lobby. I put them in the recycling. And I don't want to get anymore."

Miss Print: "You're depriving your patients of an opportunity to learn about their treatment options."

Dr. Grumpy: "I'm not going to argue with you. Either cancel my subscription, or let me talk to your supervisor."

Miss Print: "I'll cancel it. But you're really doing a disservice to your patients. They deserve better."

Phonetics

In the mid-2000's there were several government hearings concerning the safety of the COX-2 family of drugs (Vioxx, Bextra, and Celebrex).

A colleague of mine was working for the FDA at the time, and had to sit through hours of testimony on them. He sent me this remarkable e-mail after one:

"Today we had a military doc testify. He told us that the drugs are important in military use, because they can get injured soldiers back into battle sooner.

"He finished his speech by declaring 'Soldiers need COX-2!'

"And that just doesn't sound good when spoken."

Great copywriting moments

"Maybe an orthopedist would be better?"

Source: Here.


Thank you, M!

Footprint?

I'm not sure what to make of this.

This fan-shaped area of flattened grass wasn't there when we left yesterday morning, but it was definitely there when we got home late afternoon. It looks like a giant footprint:

Mello investigates

Anyway, if your pet therapod has escaped somewhere in Grumpyville, I think it was in my backyard today. Hope that helps.

Thank you for sharing

Mary: "Okay, I'll let Dr. Grumpy know you're here, and he'll take you back in just a minute."

Mrs. Knickers: "Do you have a bathroom I can use first?"

Mary: "Sure, it's that door to your left."

Mrs. Knickers: "I need to change my underwear. You wouldn't believe the drive I had here."