Monday, November 20, 2017

Negative risks

Patient I saw for a stroke recently. The hospitalist's note used this nonsensical template. I understand what he's saying, but it sure looks stupid.



9 comments:

stacey said...

It's all Boolean to me.

Anonymous said...

Patient behavior modification through reverse psychology.

Heidi said...

Whenever I see that a patient "denies" behaviors, to me that term implies doubt.

Patient denies smoking. (but I think they probably do)
Patient denies drug use. (yeah, right)

Anonymous said...

Apparently you are damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Crazy RxMan said...

It makes you wonder who had the stroke?

Mage said...

Yup, it does.

Anonymous said...

My personal favorite: "Patient does not report having symptoms of..." If I didn't ask them about it, they didn't report them!

Anonymous said...

I think it's just the way physicians and whomever it may be writes in the notes, or maybe it is really a question of denial, for the question of denial of this or that. Whenever I see that phraseology, I have this picture in my head of some aghast person, saying "Well, I nevah ..." and, then I don't know if the next question should be some sort of disclaimer, like , "Well, I haven't smoked/inhaled/drank/participated in such and such activity ... since yesterday".

Which brings up the next question, how to interpret 'may', whether it's a permission and allowable, or a command. For example, he or she or it or they 'may' do this or that, or "may not" as if there is a choice about whether the action should commence, or "maybe, not"?

Tarquin "R.J." Toffeebridge V said...

18 more guesses...

 
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