Comments on: In Which The Blogger Reveals TMI About the Girly Bits to Illustrate a Point About Medical Mystique http://fauxrealtho.com/2006/12/07/in-which-the-blogger-reveals-tmi-about-the-girly-bits-to-illustrate-a-point-about-medical-mystique/ Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:26:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Clancy http://fauxrealtho.com/2006/12/07/in-which-the-blogger-reveals-tmi-about-the-girly-bits-to-illustrate-a-point-about-medical-mystique/#comment-1973 Clancy Wed, 13 Dec 2006 23:09:45 +0000 http://fauxrealtho.com/2006/12/07/in-which-the-blogger-reveals-tmi-about-the-girly-bits-to-illustrate-a-point-about-medical-mystique/#comment-1973 We need a "Rate My Doctors" type site following the Rate My Professors model. Sorry to hear about your experience, Lauren. We need a “Rate My Doctors” type site following the Rate My Professors model.

Sorry to hear about your experience, Lauren.

]]> By: Arwen http://fauxrealtho.com/2006/12/07/in-which-the-blogger-reveals-tmi-about-the-girly-bits-to-illustrate-a-point-about-medical-mystique/#comment-1837 Arwen Sun, 10 Dec 2006 02:03:08 +0000 http://fauxrealtho.com/2006/12/07/in-which-the-blogger-reveals-tmi-about-the-girly-bits-to-illustrate-a-point-about-medical-mystique/#comment-1837 Yah, I agree with writing a letter of complaint. I've gotten big on doing such things, and it is true that sometimes I've been ignored; it is also true that sometimes the problem has been negotiated and solved. So give it a try... I generally write strong but polite letters in which I assume that generally the person in question is better behaved, but in my case there was an issue, and the parental tone seems to really get action. Yah, I agree with writing a letter of complaint. I’ve gotten big on doing such things, and it is true that sometimes I’ve been ignored; it is also true that sometimes the problem has been negotiated and solved. So give it a try… I generally write strong but polite letters in which I assume that generally the person in question is better behaved, but in my case there was an issue, and the parental tone seems to really get action.

]]> By: mythago http://fauxrealtho.com/2006/12/07/in-which-the-blogger-reveals-tmi-about-the-girly-bits-to-illustrate-a-point-about-medical-mystique/#comment-1825 mythago Sat, 09 Dec 2006 22:20:35 +0000 http://fauxrealtho.com/2006/12/07/in-which-the-blogger-reveals-tmi-about-the-girly-bits-to-illustrate-a-point-about-medical-mystique/#comment-1825 What JenM said. Complain. Hell, post the clinic's and doctor's name. Bad professionals get away with it because people shrug and say "what can you do", and they aren't called to task. What JenM said. Complain. Hell, post the clinic’s and doctor’s name. Bad professionals get away with it because people shrug and say “what can you do”, and they aren’t called to task.

]]> By: JenM http://fauxrealtho.com/2006/12/07/in-which-the-blogger-reveals-tmi-about-the-girly-bits-to-illustrate-a-point-about-medical-mystique/#comment-1768 JenM Fri, 08 Dec 2006 18:13:19 +0000 http://fauxrealtho.com/2006/12/07/in-which-the-blogger-reveals-tmi-about-the-girly-bits-to-illustrate-a-point-about-medical-mystique/#comment-1768 Lauren - If this clinic is part of a larger company you could definitely call and ask who to speak to regarding the quality of care issues you experienced. Our company takes patient complaints regarding clinical staff very seriously -they are big red flag highly sensitive disputes that go up to our Legal/Compliance executives. At the minimum it puts a 30-day hold on the patient's bill while the matter is being researched... Lauren -

If this clinic is part of a larger company you could definitely call and ask who to speak to regarding the quality of care issues you experienced. Our company takes patient complaints regarding clinical staff very seriously -they are big red flag highly sensitive disputes that go up to our Legal/Compliance executives. At the minimum it puts a 30-day hold on the patient’s bill while the matter is being researched…

]]> By: Amanda http://fauxrealtho.com/2006/12/07/in-which-the-blogger-reveals-tmi-about-the-girly-bits-to-illustrate-a-point-about-medical-mystique/#comment-1747 Amanda Fri, 08 Dec 2006 05:20:52 +0000 http://fauxrealtho.com/2006/12/07/in-which-the-blogger-reveals-tmi-about-the-girly-bits-to-illustrate-a-point-about-medical-mystique/#comment-1747 Gosh, I'm really lucky to have literally "stumbled" on two (i think) fantastic doctors. See, I get sick twice a year, without fail, in the spring and the fall. A sinus infection and an ear infection. Every year, since I was like 5. It has something to do with allergies but nobody can figure out how to prevent them. So anyway, I quit the university (where at least i had the student health center to fall back on), and was without either health insurance or a lot of extra cash, and August rolls around. To make a long story short, it gets to the point where I can no longer breathe, and my ear hurts so bad that I can't sleep, so I called around and finally found a doctor who would charge me only $80 as a new patient, as compared to the $200 that I was quoted at the other places. I was able to get an appointment for the same day, I had literally no wait, they took a full history, and when the doctor found out that this was a recurring problem for me, he actually asked me what had been tried, what worked, and what didn't. When I told him I didn't have insurance so I needed inexpensive prescriptions, he prescribed an inexpensive antibiotic, recommended an OTC decongestant that actually worked, and gave me four one-ounce samples of a name-brand steroid nasal spray that worked wonders. (And I asked my pharmacist for future reference. Had I needed to pay out of pocket, it would have cost me $40 an ounce!) And, to top it all off, when I went to pay, they only charged me $45 instead of the $80 I was quoted. I was told that "Dr. M. doesn't think it's right that health insurance is so outrageously expensive." When I went back the following spring and did have health insurance, he did prescribe a better antibiotic, which worked in fewer doses, but he still told me to take the same OTC decongestant and still gave me samples of the nasal spray. He even gave me extras and told me to start taking it as soon as I feel any symptoms coming on so maybe I won't have to come see him next time. I also found my gyn the same way, when PP couldn't get me in when I needed to get in. She's great, and spends a whole lot of time with you! Gosh, I’m really lucky to have literally “stumbled” on two (i think) fantastic doctors. See, I get sick twice a year, without fail, in the spring and the fall. A sinus infection and an ear infection. Every year, since I was like 5. It has something to do with allergies but nobody can figure out how to prevent them. So anyway, I quit the university (where at least i had the student health center to fall back on), and was without either health insurance or a lot of extra cash, and August rolls around. To make a long story short, it gets to the point where I can no longer breathe, and my ear hurts so bad that I can’t sleep, so I called around and finally found a doctor who would charge me only $80 as a new patient, as compared to the $200 that I was quoted at the other places. I was able to get an appointment for the same day, I had literally no wait, they took a full history, and when the doctor found out that this was a recurring problem for me, he actually asked me what had been tried, what worked, and what didn’t. When I told him I didn’t have insurance so I needed inexpensive prescriptions, he prescribed an inexpensive antibiotic, recommended an OTC decongestant that actually worked, and gave me four one-ounce samples of a name-brand steroid nasal spray that worked wonders. (And I asked my pharmacist for future reference. Had I needed to pay out of pocket, it would have cost me $40 an ounce!) And, to top it all off, when I went to pay, they only charged me $45 instead of the $80 I was quoted. I was told that “Dr. M. doesn’t think it’s right that health insurance is so outrageously expensive.” When I went back the following spring and did have health insurance, he did prescribe a better antibiotic, which worked in fewer doses, but he still told me to take the same OTC decongestant and still gave me samples of the nasal spray. He even gave me extras and told me to start taking it as soon as I feel any symptoms coming on so maybe I won’t have to come see him next time. I also found my gyn the same way, when PP couldn’t get me in when I needed to get in. She’s great, and spends a whole lot of time with you!

]]> By: evil_fizz http://fauxrealtho.com/2006/12/07/in-which-the-blogger-reveals-tmi-about-the-girly-bits-to-illustrate-a-point-about-medical-mystique/#comment-1745 evil_fizz Fri, 08 Dec 2006 03:12:01 +0000 http://fauxrealtho.com/2006/12/07/in-which-the-blogger-reveals-tmi-about-the-girly-bits-to-illustrate-a-point-about-medical-mystique/#comment-1745 Oh, one small piece of HUHO type advice: always ask what the differential diagnosis is. I had a nasty, nasty eye infection at one point in college. The doctor: "Oh, it's probably viral conjuctivitis." Me: "Probably?" Doc: "Oh, it could be one other thing." Me: "Um...and what might that be?" Doc looks extremely embarrassed. "Optical chlamydia." Oh, one small piece of HUHO type advice: always ask what the differential diagnosis is. I had a nasty, nasty eye infection at one point in college.

The doctor: “Oh, it’s probably viral conjuctivitis.”

Me: “Probably?”

Doc: “Oh, it could be one other thing.”

Me: “Um…and what might that be?”

Doc looks extremely embarrassed. “Optical chlamydia.”

]]> By: humanb http://fauxrealtho.com/2006/12/07/in-which-the-blogger-reveals-tmi-about-the-girly-bits-to-illustrate-a-point-about-medical-mystique/#comment-1741 humanb Fri, 08 Dec 2006 01:37:15 +0000 http://fauxrealtho.com/2006/12/07/in-which-the-blogger-reveals-tmi-about-the-girly-bits-to-illustrate-a-point-about-medical-mystique/#comment-1741 Lauren: I am glad you found a doctor you like who had the time to spend with you, and who took a history, as every doctor knows they are supposed to do. I think many doctors don't give patients the time because they don't have the time. You will find a lot of primary care physicians complain about this very thing. There is an enormous amount of job dissatisfaction in primary care in particular, because the specialty that was supposed to be about building a relationship with patients, is becoming increasingly less so due to the increasing demands of the job and higher patient loads. Medicine is like every profession, there are good workers and bad workers. I think a lot of us assume that the nature of the profession of medicine dictates that all doctors must be good workers. That just isn't the case. You would also be pleased to know that medical education is changing a great deal and giving more attention to communication skills and empathy with patients. Lauren:

I am glad you found a doctor you like who had the time to spend with you, and who took a history, as every doctor knows they are supposed to do.
I think many doctors don’t give patients the time because they don’t have the time. You will find a lot of primary care physicians complain about this very thing. There is an enormous amount of job dissatisfaction in primary care in particular, because the specialty that was supposed to be about building a relationship with patients, is becoming increasingly less so due to the increasing demands of the job and higher patient loads.
Medicine is like every profession, there are good workers and bad workers. I think a lot of us assume that the nature of the profession of medicine dictates that all doctors must be good workers. That just isn’t the case.
You would also be pleased to know that medical education is changing a great deal and giving more attention to communication skills and empathy with patients.

]]> By: Lauren http://fauxrealtho.com/2006/12/07/in-which-the-blogger-reveals-tmi-about-the-girly-bits-to-illustrate-a-point-about-medical-mystique/#comment-1739 Lauren Fri, 08 Dec 2006 00:54:35 +0000 http://fauxrealtho.com/2006/12/07/in-which-the-blogger-reveals-tmi-about-the-girly-bits-to-illustrate-a-point-about-medical-mystique/#comment-1739 They called back with the results today, negative on all counts. Pelvic inflammatory disease it is. <em>The good engineers I know are good communicators who listen and the things that people tell them. The bad ones don’t.</em> Same with doctors. I had the opportunity to see a doctor before my insurance ran out that didn't have desk help, just an answering machine. She sat with me for two hours, did a full exam and medical history and I paid the copay on my way out the door. She said she started her little practice with a few other doctors the same way, less patients, more time with patients, easier money overall, and less overhead for her. Plus she got to make her own hours and hang out with her kids whenever she wanted. I thought that was pretty fucking cool. Once I get insurance I'll see if I can use her as my primary. They called back with the results today, negative on all counts. Pelvic inflammatory disease it is.

The good engineers I know are good communicators who listen and the things that people tell them. The bad ones don’t.

Same with doctors.

I had the opportunity to see a doctor before my insurance ran out that didn’t have desk help, just an answering machine. She sat with me for two hours, did a full exam and medical history and I paid the copay on my way out the door. She said she started her little practice with a few other doctors the same way, less patients, more time with patients, easier money overall, and less overhead for her. Plus she got to make her own hours and hang out with her kids whenever she wanted. I thought that was pretty fucking cool. Once I get insurance I’ll see if I can use her as my primary.

]]> By: JoeBlu http://fauxrealtho.com/2006/12/07/in-which-the-blogger-reveals-tmi-about-the-girly-bits-to-illustrate-a-point-about-medical-mystique/#comment-1737 JoeBlu Fri, 08 Dec 2006 00:13:47 +0000 http://fauxrealtho.com/2006/12/07/in-which-the-blogger-reveals-tmi-about-the-girly-bits-to-illustrate-a-point-about-medical-mystique/#comment-1737 <em>It doesn’t help that medicine has traditionally been a profession of nerds. The same guys (and I’m sticking with “guys” here because I don’t see this problem as much with female physicians, please forgive the “woman are like this and men are like that” stereotype a moment) who get MDs would be just as at home in engineering or finance. They are very good with body parts but often terrible with actual whole people.</em> As an engineer, let me say that listening to people's problems constitutes a large part of my job. Why should I waste time getting things wrong when people who know more than me can help get them right? I know engineers who operate like this doctor, and they're bad engineers, just like this guy's a bad doctor. I'm not trying to give the sort of 'But men experience x!' response that we all hate so much. I just want to defend the reputation of engineers from the charge that we're some sort of socially and relationally stunted subspecies. The good engineers I know are good communicators who listen and the things that people tell them. The bad ones don't. It doesn’t help that medicine has traditionally been a profession of nerds. The same guys (and I’m sticking with “guys” here because I don’t see this problem as much with female physicians, please forgive the “woman are like this and men are like that” stereotype a moment) who get MDs would be just as at home in engineering or finance. They are very good with body parts but often terrible with actual whole people.

As an engineer, let me say that listening to people’s problems constitutes a large part of my job. Why should I waste time getting things wrong when people who know more than me can help get them right? I know engineers who operate like this doctor, and they’re bad engineers, just like this guy’s a bad doctor.

I’m not trying to give the sort of ‘But men experience x!’ response that we all hate so much. I just want to defend the reputation of engineers from the charge that we’re some sort of socially and relationally stunted subspecies. The good engineers I know are good communicators who listen and the things that people tell them. The bad ones don’t.

]]> By: Julie http://fauxrealtho.com/2006/12/07/in-which-the-blogger-reveals-tmi-about-the-girly-bits-to-illustrate-a-point-about-medical-mystique/#comment-1735 Julie Thu, 07 Dec 2006 22:58:24 +0000 http://fauxrealtho.com/2006/12/07/in-which-the-blogger-reveals-tmi-about-the-girly-bits-to-illustrate-a-point-about-medical-mystique/#comment-1735 Oh man Lauren. I can relate... when I was pregnant for my daughter, I had some scary spotting and with no insurance and no doctor (it wouldn't kick in for another month) I headed to the ER, where they ran STD tests. Despite my having been in a monogamous relationship for three years and my most recent pap being fine. Tried to tell them that, they wouldn't listen. A week later, when I'm back because I'm bleeding all over the place, they ran the same freaking tests again, despite their being negative just a week before. I hope you feel better soon Lauren. It sounds absolutely awful. Oh man Lauren. I can relate… when I was pregnant for my daughter, I had some scary spotting and with no insurance and no doctor (it wouldn’t kick in for another month) I headed to the ER, where they ran STD tests. Despite my having been in a monogamous relationship for three years and my most recent pap being fine. Tried to tell them that, they wouldn’t listen. A week later, when I’m back because I’m bleeding all over the place, they ran the same freaking tests again, despite their being negative just a week before. I hope you feel better soon Lauren. It sounds absolutely awful.

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