One statement people make online (and I've probably been guilty of it myself) is saying very dramatically on a blog comment, "I'm glad you're not my doctor with that attitude!"
I could absolutely understand saying that if the doctor was making fun of their patients in a cruel way or talking about how uncomfortable they are performing surgery. I definitely wouldn't want someone like that as my doctor. No way.
But often what prompts that statement is something entirely unrelated to the practice of medicine. It seems like almost a blanket statement that people use when a physician posts ANYTHING they don't like.
For example, a while back I made a post about how I thought parents who had difficulty finding childcare should have first dibs to get certain holidays off. And several people, in their blind fury, took it upon themselves to comment, "I'm glad you're not my doctor!"
Now regardless of whether you agree with my opinion or not, does that really impact whether or not I'd be a good physician to you? At all? Do you go around polling your physician on all their personal or political opinions, and then make a decision on whether you want to see them or not? Of course, you can't, but even if you could do such a thing, would you?
In my personal opinion, if you would, you don't have much common sense. And that's what I think of you if you make a comment like that.
I'm speculating here. Perhaps with that post they think you are selfish, and if you are selfish, you will put yourself first all the time, including when you care for your patients? So for example, they might worry you would take the lazier approach to treating someone's condition, because it is easier, or perhaps keeps you on schedule, when a different but more time consuming treatment might be better for the patient?
ReplyDeleteI think going from someone wanting to spend Christmas with their kids to thinking that they'd pick some inferior treatment for a patient's condition is a pretty spectacular leap.
DeleteBesides, how many doctors are selfish? Lots.
It could be transference, too. If a patient is dissatisfied with the way they have been treated by their own doctor(s), then anything you say that rubs them the wrong way may trigger the comments you get.
DeleteI have no idea what my doctor thinks about child care and you know what? I don't really care. She calls me when a test is needed, she refers me to specialists when warranted and listens to me.
ReplyDeleteI still think you're funny-even if I don't agree with everything you post. I like opinionated bloggers-even if I don't share their opinion.
Oh, Fizzy. Don't you know doctors are supposed to be mindless automaton monks who devote every waking minute to compassionate care? Especially for patients who decide to take no initiative of their own in controlling or preventing their own morbidity and expect you to do 100% of the work in dragging them back to health? How can you have any time to do that if you're thinking of spending time with family? You're so inconsiderate.
ReplyDeleteI've actually gotten that, too, and I'm just a medical student. I don't remember the context, but it was one of those articles (probably something on evolution) and I gave some information on biology and stated my credentials (as if that matters on the internet, el oh el). Someone didn't like the disagreement, and there it was: "I'd never want you to be my doctor, I feel sorry for all of your future patients."
ReplyDeleteI think it's just a case of people looking for the most hurtful thing that they can put your way. For what ever reason, that seems to be a thing that people reach for.
The way I see it, though, it says more about the person saying it than about the person they're saying it to. You wouldn't want me to be your doctor, simply for disagreeing with you or saying something that you didn't want to hear? You must be an absolute gem to provide care for. What makes you think that I or any other physician would want to care for you? (I feel sorry for whoever is caring for those people, and hope that they're much more pleasant to their physicians in person.)
Agreed. If society demands to dissolve the paternalism in medicine (which is definitely the correct thing to do, on the whole), patients are going to have to accept this two-way street.
DeleteI totally agree a doctors personal life is no one elses buisness and doesn't affect patient care! Like someone above I'm in medical school still and recently I had posted a reply on an answer/question website about how to crate train a dog. Some people didn't like my answer (*cough tree hugging animal rights crazies*) though many people use that method to train their dogs...anyway, the next thing I know someone posts 'and this person is going to be a docotr! Run for your lives!'
ReplyDeleteCan someone please tell me how crate training a dog has anything to do with patient care because I'm still trying to figure it out!
Yes, exactly! Does that person ask their physician how he trained his dog prior to seeking care?
DeleteBest reply for them "I'm glad you're not my patient."
ReplyDeleteMore than likely, you wouldn't want them as a patient! Too many people in this world base their life choices on emotional reaction and not rational thought. I teach and have a co-worker that I really do not like personally. She is a really good teacher though, and I would definitely put my kid in her room.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're not my doctor, because that would mean that I needed some form of rehab or I had a stroke.
ReplyDeleteWell, you may have just had, like, knee replacement or something.
DeleteI don't really care what you think as long as you do the job you're supposed to do and do it well. A long time ago, I went to get my hair cut and the gay guy that was cutting my hair (who did a fantastic job btw) went off on a rant because I mentioned I was pre-med. He said he hated doctors and that they were awful and blah blah blah. The 30 minutes I spent there were very uncomfortable and maybe not worth it.
ReplyDeleteThe only medical professional I have ever said anything like that to, or about, or ever wanted to, is the much-loved-by-too-many "Nurse K", whose utter nastiness and hatred towards fat people - patients in her ED - is so vile I had to stop even reading posts that refer to her.
ReplyDeleteI am very serious when I say that I will never even go to the state she alleges to work in rather than risk the one in a zillion chance I might wind up in her ED. I'd rather be dead than have someone with that much hate and mockery of fat people anywhere near me.
I wish I could hide from all of her, "ewwwwwww fat people are SOOO GROSS!" supporters, too.
As I said in my post, I think if the doc makes fun of their patients in their blog, then it's a justified statement. I really wouldn't want to go to a doc (or nurse) who I thought might make fun of me online. But as to what their political preferences are or their method of dog training, why would I care?
DeleteI'd be quite happy for you to be my doctor. Just for the record.
ReplyDeleteI'd be quite happy for you to stop flogging a dead horse. Another post about how you wrote about preferential holidays for parents and ( gasp) some people didn't agree
DeleteYou know, they say Adolf Hitler was kind to animals and loved children.
ReplyDeleteI Godwin'd your thread for the lulz:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin%27s_law
I can honestly say I have went to providers in part because of their political views. Is that any worst than choosing a random practitioner from the phone book? Probably not. There is something to be said for giving your business to someone you respect as a person.
ReplyDeleteBut how would you even know such a thing? I definitely don't know my doctors politics.
DeleteYour doctor has no business discussing his or her personal beliefs with you, even if he/she is not trying to push their beliefs on you. That's totally unprofessional.
DeleteYou forget you're doctor/teacher/priest/parent/all-knowing diety and they are the upset toddler who is upset the world is not how they expected or wanted it to be. I don't care what type of doctor you are, almost every patient on some level wants you to make the world right again and when you don't... hell hath no furry like a toddler scorned.
ReplyDeleteI wrote a post about how emotional it can be as a physician (working in the OR/SICU) and how I was learning to not be completely emotionally involved in everything (because otherwise I would be crying all the time, need therapy, etc.) I got some horrible comments on that post, that I was unfeeling and was a terrible doctor. It hurt my feelings at first, but now, I don't care and will still do whatever it takes to make it through each day.
ReplyDeleteI would prefer a doctor with an attitude. A doctor with an attitude knows when to say no to a patient. They are also far more likely to do what is in the patient's best interest.
ReplyDelete