Otto: I’ve always said that if the bone is not sticking out of your body all doctors are just guessing at what’s wrong with you.
Herman: What makes you say that?
Otto: Every time I go to the doctor with a cough or a rash, they never know what’s wrong with me. They just look at the symptoms and make up some prescription for some ointment or salve with no idea if it is going to cure me or not.
Herman: They must have some idea. They went to school and interned for so long.
Otto: I’m not sure what they’re learning because whenever I go to the doctor it feels like a crapshoot. That is of course if you’re not bleeding or as I said a bone is sticking out somewhere, then they know what is wrong.
Herman: I have more faith in the medical profession. Whenever I go to the doctor, he takes the time to sit down with me and explain everything to me about what they’ve found and what my options are. It’s very informative.
Otto: I’m not sure who your doctor is, but when I go to my doctor I’m not sure what he’s doing since I have to sit in the waiting room for an hour or more past my appointment time. And when I do get to see him, he may be taking the time to tell me how much he knows about my problem, but he talks so fast and uses all that medical babble that when I leave, I can’t remember much of what he said. They must learn that in school so as not to be held accountable for their actions.
Herman: Waiting a long time is a problem, but that probably is due to all the time they spend with each of their patients. I do find it hard at times to follow what they are saying, but that is why I bring a notepad and pen with me so that I can write things down or have the doctor write it for me.
Otto: Here’s a thought. You know when you call to make an appointment you get that recording that says that, “This call may be recorded for quality assurance”. Well, why can’t we bring recorders with us and use the same tact, “This visit may be recorded for quality assurance”.
Herman: I’m not sure if that is legal. Why not just bring another person in with you to give you a second set of ears.
Otto: That is not always feasible. Besides, there are some diseases and injuries I might not want to share with someone else.
Herman: I can see that.
Otto: And what about follow-ups. Occasionally I will get a call back after my visit asking how I’m doing. But most of the time the doctor has to read my chart to figure out who I am when I get there and once he’s done writing his report, I’m just a mark on a piece of paper. Even though I’ve been going to him for years.
Herman: Doctors have lots of patients, so I can see finding the time to follow up on everyone might be difficult. But you’re right they should care about how you are doing during and following their treatment. Since it seems highly unlikely that doctors can personally follow up on everyone, they should have someone on staff that at least checks up on you.
Otto: Considering what doctors charge, they certainly should have adequate staff to do that. I’m just sick and tired (pun intended) of having to deal with the medical profession. Doctors, waiting times, tests, guess diagnoses, insurance, and drug prices just make me sick.
Herman: If you’re sick then you should see a doctor. Maybe there’s a cure for whatever you have.
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Author’s note: Please excuse the use of “he” for the doctor as a doctor could just as well been a “she”. I’m sure there are lots of you that have similar feelings to both Otto and Herman.
One additional thought I have is, in this age of the internet, where almost too much information about diseases and cures are available, there are issues from doctors of having to deal with too much panic and self-diagnosis when a patient comes to see them. That shouldn’t preclude you doing some research on the Internet before seeing a doctor. I find it helpful to have enough information to know what questions to ask, rather than to tell my doctor what I have. They still are the experts in their field. But then there is also the well-known riddle – What do you call a doctor who graduated last in his class…
“a doctor”
Your thoughts?
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