A Letter to My Patients
This one was written after a very long and frustrating day……
To my patients –
-I try very hard to be on time and keep on schedule. I know what it is like to wait hours and hours for a doctor appointment, so I try to be prompt. I know your time is as valuable as mine.
So, please be yourself on time. If you are very late, please remember the policy is to reschedule you; we are not a ‘drop in clinic’. If you are slightly late you expect to be seen as you are here – and you want your full time. Naturally if you need more time in your appointment I won’t cut you off. However, this makes the next patient have to wait for their appointment. So the day gets thrown off. And if delays due to other people’s emergencies don’t evoke empathy, merely ire, please schedule your appointments first thing in the morning before the day’s matters occur.
-I have 900 people on file. I don’t remember all your names/faces and all your information off the top of my head. (Trade secret; if your doctor can instantly remember you and your case that is usually a bad sign). Please don’t be insulted that I have to check your chart for details or ask you on matters you think I ‘should know’.
-Alas, the clinic doesn’t leave me space in the day to take phone calls. I think I do a very good job at returning phone calls. But I often have to return the morning calls at lunch time and the afternoon calls in the early evening. Please take this into account when you are pissed that I did not call you back within the hour of your phone call on what primary care doctor can I recommend. Urgent matters I call back right away by the way.
-I believe that you are responsible for the recommended changes in your treatment. When you come in and report you are still doing crack or drinking on your meds or not taking your meds or still doing the behaviors that makes so much grief, please don’t be too surprised that your ‘meds are not working’.
-When you come in to talk about ‘life issues’ I listen/make a few suggestions but these are matters that are best processed in regular appointments with a therapist. Often you want to deal with ‘life matters’ by opting to take a pill. For life issues, this usually doesn’t work well. Prozac won’t solve your parent/child conflict; Wellbutrin won't cure your unhappy marriage. You tell me you can’t find make the time to talk to someone/can’t afford therapy but when I add up the co-pays on your meds and many office visits for ‘med checks’ this looks equivalent to talking to someone on a regular basis.
P.S. I’ve done some arithmetic. If you lay off the 100 dollar/week drug habit you can afford a therapist.
- I am out of touch with several other branches of Medicine, so don’t be shocked and alarmed I don’t know the difference between your two options for knee surgery, or which medicine for high blood pressure you are considering has the least amount of side effects. And I can’t explain what another doctor meant or is doing. Ask that doctor for clarification.
-Finally I am not God, or your Parent, or a Magician, although a part of you wants me to be these things (and I have to be watchful that the reciprocal part in me that wants to take on those roles does not overcome). I am a human being who makes mistakes. I can be tired, sick, and even at times not very bright. Please give me some slack if your appointment was canceled due to me having the flu or a death in the family.
To my patients –
-I try very hard to be on time and keep on schedule. I know what it is like to wait hours and hours for a doctor appointment, so I try to be prompt. I know your time is as valuable as mine.
So, please be yourself on time. If you are very late, please remember the policy is to reschedule you; we are not a ‘drop in clinic’. If you are slightly late you expect to be seen as you are here – and you want your full time. Naturally if you need more time in your appointment I won’t cut you off. However, this makes the next patient have to wait for their appointment. So the day gets thrown off. And if delays due to other people’s emergencies don’t evoke empathy, merely ire, please schedule your appointments first thing in the morning before the day’s matters occur.
-I have 900 people on file. I don’t remember all your names/faces and all your information off the top of my head. (Trade secret; if your doctor can instantly remember you and your case that is usually a bad sign). Please don’t be insulted that I have to check your chart for details or ask you on matters you think I ‘should know’.
-Alas, the clinic doesn’t leave me space in the day to take phone calls. I think I do a very good job at returning phone calls. But I often have to return the morning calls at lunch time and the afternoon calls in the early evening. Please take this into account when you are pissed that I did not call you back within the hour of your phone call on what primary care doctor can I recommend. Urgent matters I call back right away by the way.
-I believe that you are responsible for the recommended changes in your treatment. When you come in and report you are still doing crack or drinking on your meds or not taking your meds or still doing the behaviors that makes so much grief, please don’t be too surprised that your ‘meds are not working’.
-When you come in to talk about ‘life issues’ I listen/make a few suggestions but these are matters that are best processed in regular appointments with a therapist. Often you want to deal with ‘life matters’ by opting to take a pill. For life issues, this usually doesn’t work well. Prozac won’t solve your parent/child conflict; Wellbutrin won't cure your unhappy marriage. You tell me you can’t find make the time to talk to someone/can’t afford therapy but when I add up the co-pays on your meds and many office visits for ‘med checks’ this looks equivalent to talking to someone on a regular basis.
P.S. I’ve done some arithmetic. If you lay off the 100 dollar/week drug habit you can afford a therapist.
- I am out of touch with several other branches of Medicine, so don’t be shocked and alarmed I don’t know the difference between your two options for knee surgery, or which medicine for high blood pressure you are considering has the least amount of side effects. And I can’t explain what another doctor meant or is doing. Ask that doctor for clarification.
-Finally I am not God, or your Parent, or a Magician, although a part of you wants me to be these things (and I have to be watchful that the reciprocal part in me that wants to take on those roles does not overcome). I am a human being who makes mistakes. I can be tired, sick, and even at times not very bright. Please give me some slack if your appointment was canceled due to me having the flu or a death in the family.
posted by Ur-spo at 9:26 PM
24 Comments:
Aaaaaaaaaaaa hi Michael!?
I just hope it helped.
You know, I've become very aware lately that people just aren't paying attention. Is it the season, I wonder?
Strength to you.
Well said! And might I say that having been in the medical process extensively this past year due to opportunistic medical issues, this post helped put into perspective the behind-the-scene things that can happen during the day in an office such as yours while I'm sitting impatiently awaiting a return phone call from this doctor or that hospital. Great stuff. Thank you!
You said: Trade secret; if your doctor can instantly remember you and your case that is usually a bad sign.
Holy Crap! And here I thought I was memorable and she liked me. Yikes.
You said: Trade secret; if your doctor can instantly remember you and your case that is usually a bad sign.
Holy Crap! And here I thought I was memorable and she liked me. Yikes.
So, in the words of Dr Phil..."How the HELL is that working for ya?"...the letter.
My hat off to you, ur-spo, that you deal with that day in and day out. I generally find the public and irritating lot to deal with... that is why I never went into teaching or psychiatric practice even though i have degrees in both.
Hopefully the few that do make the change to better themselves are woth the many who want you as a two year old would say...
'kiss the boo-boo and make it all better, mommy!'
Boy, your letter is so right on the money. Many of the same things apply to the clergy profession as well. People think they can drop in any time and we are there for them or they can make an appointment, then skip it or be late and still we are there. And then there's the middle of the night calls about relatively insignificant matters that could wait until daybreak. And unchanged behavior patterns? Boy, I could write pages about that. I understand where you are coming from. I think your letter should be distributed widely to your colleagues for use with their patients. Well said, my friend
Sounds like a "Calgon take me away!" moment. But, all joking aside, I can feel for you. We have become a people who are total victims. We want someone (or something as in a drug) to do our hurting for us. I know I can be as guilty as anyone of not wanting to live through my own pain. But, as a song of many years ago would say (and I can't remember the song), "Your pain is for you alone, as it is, as it was, as it will be. Forever, Amen."
That would be, the title of the song.
Did you actually send that out, or was it just an exercise to get some tension out of your system?
Tiger -it was just a cathartic rage to get some frustration out of my system.
Work's got me beat.
I'm always a good little patient. The doctor is running behind on appointments, you say? No problem! I have Dean Koontz to keep me entertained. Besides, ANYTHING to get me out of the office and do absolutely nothing but read my novel.
I know the feeling...sorry it's so tough right now and it probably gets worse as Christmas nears.
Smoke some crack and you'll feel all better. Oh...that doesn't help it just medicates temporarily. I kid.
Um, am I the only one that noticed that Wellbutrin will cure an unhappy marriage? That is so nice to know that there is a pill for that!
Wellbutrin would cure your unhappy marriage.
I'm kidding Spo, you are an easy target when it comes to typos. i do however wonder why it is that people do not have the common sense to think the stuff you posted. It is just plain common sense!
hohoho
Almost by definition I work with people not in touch with 'common sense'; I have to remind myself of that from time to time.
That is a great letter!!! In all of my Social Work classes, this topic always comes up. People will only change when they make the choice.Some look at the person in front of them as their answer to all of life's problems and a person who has all of the answers. We are all just humans trying to get trough life as best as we can without too many stumbles.
Don't let it get to you! your cathartic rage was well said!
Michael, you have the patience of a Saint :)
Sounds like you need a long, tropical vacation with lots of foo-foo drinks.
Wow, I just put my foot down too...more than once this week in fact. I wish I could be a fly on the wall when the phone company people read that e-mail!
*sharpens teeth cheerfully*
Cliffie...a fly on the wall? That is so totally opposed to your fishness.
; )
I think you should print that and hang it right beside the little window where the receptionist sits.
I worked in a medical office a few years ago, it was frustrating how inconsiderate people really are.
*hugs*
I wish my doctor was as caring as you are!
Ur-spo: I hope this weekend gives you a few moments to relax. I never expect my doctor to remember my name/psychoticness, that's why she writes it down each time! I do have an understanding dr, but I try to be an understanding patient, too. Last time, I showed up to the dr office very early (with a book to read) and the dr was ahead of schedule and gladly took me in early.
One of the greatest gifts this year has been getting to know people through blogging, and seeing multiple perspectives on things. Thanks, and have a great weekend!
ho ho ho
mo
900 patients, I hope you don't see them all in one week. You deserve everyting Mr. Special can give you more. I remeber from Star Trek TNG someone asking Counselor Troy "Who counsels the counselor?" Somehow that struck me as profound.
Post a Comment
<< Home