By now I should be used to how shabbily Health care professionals can treat their patients. However, today it was my turn and this truly was a low point for me, so I’ve decided to write a bit of an open letter to the health industry.
Dear Health care professional , First let me state that I know that you are busy, overwhelmed and definitely do not get enough credit for what you do. However, and this is a biggie, you are in what we call public service. This means that you interact with people, lots and lots of people. Those of us in other public service professions have been trained in public service persona. In my profession you are taught to be polite, regardless of how ignorant or ill informed you think the person is. What you do not get to do is treat them like garbage. I've had books thrown at me and kept a smile on my face. If I can do it then so can you. If you feel you cannot keep up a modicum of politeness then please, I beg of you, take up a profession that keeps you out of the public’s way. Try the morgue maybe.< P/>
Please be aware of what is being handed to patients. Sheep that we are many of us actually follow instructions, for instance if the patient’s (my) bloody discharge sheet states to call your clinic if chest pains occur, do not be surprised when we do so. If you don’t want us to call you then please be explicit and state “if chest pains occur call your primary care physician as we don’t give a damn.” .< P/>
This was my experience from this morning : I had chest pains over the weekend and I wished to ignore them but himself was adamant that I call as I had begun coughing in addition to the chest problems. So I read my instructions given to me by a doctor and reviewed with me by a nurse. I phone the orthopedics clinic per written instruction. I get transferred twice and repeat my story. The person says she will send an urgent message along with the words chest pain. So, in my world, chest pain means “attend to as a priority”. Evidently not so at the orthopedics clinic. Four hours later – not a peep. I’m so perverse that I refuse to call back. I want to see response time - 4 and one half hours in case anyone is interested.
Huzzah I finally get a call back…..Dear Health care person please learn to LISTEN. My first words were “Your discharge sheet states call the clinic if you have chest pain.” I could have gotten an actual appointment with my primary care doctor but I am following YOUR instructions. Learn to ask questions. Patients come in many different forms and I happen to be a self-effacer. This means I will minimize my pain and or health problems. Please ask questions beyond what the patient is telling you. We librarians do it every day. News Flash by the way “I am having chest pains” should be a trigger to ask MORE questions. DO NOT, in the snobbiest, bitchiest voice possible tell me that “doctor does not treat ribs”. The implication in those words was loud and clear that I was wasting your precious time. I’m not stupid and I know ankle does not equal rib but remember I am following the instructions given to me. I don’t know what the doctor wants. You can be efficient but kind in stating that the steps I should take are as follows….. Interestingly, and I’m not sure why I got an immediate second phone call from the clinic but that person listened to me through my sobs, asked pertinent questions and then gently suggested that I go to urgent care. She is what everyone should aspire to be
I also have a horrible suspicion that since this is worker’s comp related that maybe I’ve been shoved down to a second tier of care somewhere. I suspect that workers comp insurance doesn’t pay as much back to the docs and there is always the stigma related to workmen’s comp issues. Once again DO NOT judge your clientele. My issue was absolutely related to my job and I wish with all my heart I hadn’t been injured at work. Life would be so much more straightforward. I am aware that there are people who milk workers comp but I am not one of them. I have so much sick leave I could be off for 35, count em, 35 weeks. I throw this figure out to prove I’m not a slacker taking advantage of the system
So to make a very long boring story short I ended up in urgent care and was diagnosed with a blood clot. Urgent care takes words like chest pain seriously and all told I was in for 4 hours (less time than it took the orthopedics clinic to phone) and the people there were all fabulous. I am trying really hard to think of all the fabulous people I’ve met and who do have the public persona down. PAMF urgent care – the BEST! You want to see how kind, efficient professionals work, shadow a PAMF person
on a lighter note, Mark got to say I told you so when I balked at going and he gets to give me, the girl who passes out at the sight of a needle, shots 2x a day for 5 days. WHIMPER
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