Welcome to All Scrubbed Up's 4th guest blogger... Sarah Scrafford! Enjoy her views on the patient-doctor relationships. We think this one may draw some comments...
There are some people who treat their doctors like Gods – they think they can do no wrong, that they can cure any malaise, and that they have their best interests at heart. And then there are others who are extremely reluctant to trust anyone connected to the medical field, who move from doctor to doctor in search of the perfect one they can trust but never find one at all, and who generally prefer to treat themselves unless it’s a life-threatening situation. In my opinion, neither extreme is advisable – while you must trust your doctor to do the best for you, it’s also prudent to exercise caution and do a bit of research before you throw yourself at the complete mercy of a total stranger.
We hear horror stories of medical malpractices that occur because of both negligence and/or incompetency; the victims of these tragedies escape with no lasting damage if they’re lucky, but if they’re not, they could end up with chronic conditions, or worse, die. Medical lawsuits are extremely complicated affairs that end up becoming costly and difficult to prove, which is why it’s best to be prepared and do your homework before going to a doctor to seek treatment:
* Talk to other patients: Before you commit yourself to going under the knife of a particular surgeon, talk to his or her other patients so that you get proper feedback from the right sources. Long time patients are your best bet – they’re the ones who know exactly how competent and how trustworthy your soon-to-be physician is.
* Check the Internet: Some doctors have a web presence, but then again, you can’t believe their own publicity. Run a search to see if people have blogged about their efficiencies or inefficiencies – this being the age of free and available information, most people are not hesitant to air their views from a public soapbox, especially when the medium is as vast and diverse as the World Wide Web.
* Talk to your doctor itself: Some doctors are open to honest communication, and if you’re a good judge of character, you’ll know if you’re in good hands or not.
* Use relatives or close friends in the medical community: People who have close connections to the medical industry are usually in the inner loop regarding doctors and their methods of treatment. If you know someone in the medical community, don’t hesitate to pick their brains and seek their opinion.
* Bedside manner is not everything: Don’t be fooled by the bedside manner of doctors – that’s all there is to some of them. Style over substance never works, more so when it’s a question of your life. So take what doctors say with a pinch of salt, and double check your facts if you want to life a long and healthy life.
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This article is contributed by Sarah Scrafford, who regularly writes on the topic of Radiology Technician Schools. She invites your questions, comments and freelancing job inquiries at her email address: sarah.scrafford25@gmail.com.
Showing posts with label patients. Show all posts
Showing posts with label patients. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
GUEST POST: Are Ya Juicin' It? Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Abuse
Welcome to our second guest poster on All Scrubbed Up... Brian Carty of HotMedicalNews.com. Here's an indepth look at the effect of steroids in body builders. Chilling stuff.
By Brian Carty, MD, MSPH
March 14, 2008
Irritable, angry, aggressive, but feeling strong and invincible, Mr. A, 32, a bodybuilder and prison guard, stopped at a convenience store to call his boss. Car trouble on the way to work.. He would be late.
Bodybuilder and enhanced performance
[With permission of Steve Michalik. Mr. Michalik, a former Mr. America and Mr. Universe, once used steroids and suffered as a result. He is now an energetic and outspoken opponent of steroid abuse.]
Mr. A was taking his fifth cycle of anabolic-androgenic steroids (abbreviated in this article as "steroids"), and he was "stacking," combining high doses of several different steroids, sometimes referred to by the slang term "juice." The woman working at the convenience store noted his uniform and joked, "You officers use my phone so much, I ought to start charging for it." Mr. A was strangely disturbed by this remark. He felt that the woman had criticized and demeaned him, and he was obsessed by the remark that afternoon and throughout the night. He slept poorly. His wife could not reassure him.
'Roid Rage
Later, he said that he wanted to "scare the lady in return for that remark she made to me." In the morning Mr. A drove back to the convenience store and forced the woman into his car. She fought back, biting his hand and grabbing his revolver which fired through the windshield. Although he subdued her and drove away, when the car stopped she bolted from the car. He shot her in the back as she fled, leaving her permanently paralyzed. Mr. A was later arrested, tried, and sentenced to twenty years in prison. After his arrest and withdrawal from steroids, he developed major depression which resolved in a month.
This case and several other cases of homicide or near-homicide by anabolic steroid abusers are presented in an article by Dr. Harrison Pope, Jr., and Dr. David Katz in the January 1990 Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.
Read more on this subject at Brian's site here (continuation of article)...
By Brian Carty, MD, MSPH
March 14, 2008
Irritable, angry, aggressive, but feeling strong and invincible, Mr. A, 32, a bodybuilder and prison guard, stopped at a convenience store to call his boss. Car trouble on the way to work.. He would be late.
Bodybuilder and enhanced performance
Mr. A was taking his fifth cycle of anabolic-androgenic steroids (abbreviated in this article as "steroids"), and he was "stacking," combining high doses of several different steroids, sometimes referred to by the slang term "juice." The woman working at the convenience store noted his uniform and joked, "You officers use my phone so much, I ought to start charging for it." Mr. A was strangely disturbed by this remark. He felt that the woman had criticized and demeaned him, and he was obsessed by the remark that afternoon and throughout the night. He slept poorly. His wife could not reassure him.
'Roid Rage
Later, he said that he wanted to "scare the lady in return for that remark she made to me." In the morning Mr. A drove back to the convenience store and forced the woman into his car. She fought back, biting his hand and grabbing his revolver which fired through the windshield. Although he subdued her and drove away, when the car stopped she bolted from the car. He shot her in the back as she fled, leaving her permanently paralyzed. Mr. A was later arrested, tried, and sentenced to twenty years in prison. After his arrest and withdrawal from steroids, he developed major depression which resolved in a month.
This case and several other cases of homicide or near-homicide by anabolic steroid abusers are presented in an article by Dr. Harrison Pope, Jr., and Dr. David Katz in the January 1990 Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.
Read more on this subject at Brian's site here (continuation of article)...
Thursday, February 8, 2007
The Culture of Health
Sometimes, when days at the private practice get a bit dull, I think back to the good ‘ol days at Baragwanath. Those 30 hour calls when all you ate was a Bar One. Those frantic trips, wheeling a patient over to X-Rays (Porters? What porters?) JUST to escape a whining aunty. Those blissful moments where you scream back at the psychotics. And those daydreams of actually having sex in the on-call room. Contrary to popular belief, and a horrible TV doctor culture – DOCTORS DON’T ACTUALLY SHAG ALL OVER THE HOSPITAL.
Back to the aunties. It gets me thinking about the culture of health. South Africa is such a racially and culturally diverse country, that you’re bound to encounter some gems.
As Doctors, believe it or not, we've got our favourites. Here's the rundown:
WHITE PATIENTS: White patients believe the world owes them a favour. Why? I don’t know. If you aren't doing moving the earth for them (and they will check that by getting 3 consults) - there MUST be something wrong with you.
In fact, if I a white person dared to walk into Bara - THE WORLD MUST. COME. TO. A. STANDSTILL.
They are the only patients in the room. White doctors, of course (didn't you know?) should give preferential treatment to their white brothers.
The consequence of this entitlement complex - I have many doctor friends who are too afraid to go work in private practice, in white suburbia heaven, because of the perceived special treatment that has to take place. Agh!
INDIAN PATIENTS: Ah, aunties and their hubbies. They are PAINFUL. More painful to us than anything that might be afflicting them (excuse the sarcasm, but this applies to the ones that actually aren’t dying – which is most of them!).
Indian patients believe that every pain, every feeling and every thought that had crossed their minds in the LAST 10 YEARS... are all interlinked. These patients will proceed to tell you how the itch in their left ear, is related to the pain in their right groin, which is OBVIOUSLY going to give them a heart attack. In the next 48 hours.
And no matter how you tell them otherwise, the talking just does noooooot stop (cue Perry Cox extended syllables). Add to this, by the end of the conversation, you'll know the entire family history, eating habits and lengthy diagnosis of daughter's boyfriends's mother's uncle's skin condition. And WHY it’s just such a damaging relationship. Which one you ask? My point exactly.
BLACK PATIENTS: Perhaps it’s just because of demographics, that we happened to see more black patients, working in a government hospital. Perhaps it’s a cultural issue I just don’t understand – but black patients seem to have a more inherent trust and understanding of the pace and pressure of a health environment. These patients will will tend to tell you exactly what's wrong, and nothing more.
There have of course been those wonderful examples of:
"Noooo... I can't be pregnant."
“Have you been having sex?”
“Yes.”
"Then you can be pregnant".
But then again, that pretty much happens with everyone.
Give me our black bruvvas. They are certainly a lot more appreciative! To this day... Not a single courtesy curry. Or even an invite to meet the daughter's boyfriend over a mango lassie. And definitely no invitation to Sandton kitchen tea.
Ah, patience, patients.
Back to the aunties. It gets me thinking about the culture of health. South Africa is such a racially and culturally diverse country, that you’re bound to encounter some gems.
As Doctors, believe it or not, we've got our favourites. Here's the rundown:
WHITE PATIENTS: White patients believe the world owes them a favour. Why? I don’t know. If you aren't doing moving the earth for them (and they will check that by getting 3 consults) - there MUST be something wrong with you.
In fact, if I a white person dared to walk into Bara - THE WORLD MUST. COME. TO. A. STANDSTILL.
They are the only patients in the room. White doctors, of course (didn't you know?) should give preferential treatment to their white brothers.
The consequence of this entitlement complex - I have many doctor friends who are too afraid to go work in private practice, in white suburbia heaven, because of the perceived special treatment that has to take place. Agh!
INDIAN PATIENTS: Ah, aunties and their hubbies. They are PAINFUL. More painful to us than anything that might be afflicting them (excuse the sarcasm, but this applies to the ones that actually aren’t dying – which is most of them!).
Indian patients believe that every pain, every feeling and every thought that had crossed their minds in the LAST 10 YEARS... are all interlinked. These patients will proceed to tell you how the itch in their left ear, is related to the pain in their right groin, which is OBVIOUSLY going to give them a heart attack. In the next 48 hours.
And no matter how you tell them otherwise, the talking just does noooooot stop (cue Perry Cox extended syllables). Add to this, by the end of the conversation, you'll know the entire family history, eating habits and lengthy diagnosis of daughter's boyfriends's mother's uncle's skin condition. And WHY it’s just such a damaging relationship. Which one you ask? My point exactly.
BLACK PATIENTS: Perhaps it’s just because of demographics, that we happened to see more black patients, working in a government hospital. Perhaps it’s a cultural issue I just don’t understand – but black patients seem to have a more inherent trust and understanding of the pace and pressure of a health environment. These patients will will tend to tell you exactly what's wrong, and nothing more.
There have of course been those wonderful examples of:
"Noooo... I can't be pregnant."
“Have you been having sex?”
“Yes.”
"Then you can be pregnant".
But then again, that pretty much happens with everyone.
Give me our black bruvvas. They are certainly a lot more appreciative! To this day... Not a single courtesy curry. Or even an invite to meet the daughter's boyfriend over a mango lassie. And definitely no invitation to Sandton kitchen tea.
Ah, patience, patients.
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