Friday Frustrations – Read the file
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On Wednesday I took my Dad to see his neurologist. If you remember he had a stroke on August 9th of this year. When he was released from the hospital, the doctor prescribed him another medication to go with the Lipidil and Coumadin he was already taking. When we went to the pharmacy to fill it, the pharmacist informed us that this medication will control his blood pressure, but that it was very strong.
When we spoke to my Dad’s family doctor, she recommended we go see the neurologist my Dad had seen in the past since his first stroke.
Enter office…..
Doctor asks why my Dad had come. I explain about the medication. He replies rudely, “I’m a head doctor not a blood pressure doctor. You came to the wrong person.”. I inform him that it was a neurologist at the hospital who prescribed it to my Dad after his last stroke. That it was my Dad’s family doctor that recommended we see you for a second opinion. He then proceeds to ask a whole bunch of questions.
Here is where my frustration starts.
While examining him, he mentions to me that my Dad has problems with the right side of his body (he cannot control his right hand very well). This I know. He notices that he has problems walking and needs a cane. He asks, “Did he always have this problem or was it since his stroke in August”.
No.
“It’s since his stroke from November 2000. He’s actually gotten a lot better”.
He looks at me surprised. “He had another stroke?”
I had to muster up all the self control I could.
My Dad had a major stroke in November 2000 which put him in a coma and which required him to have brain surgery. Since then he’s had 3 other mini strokes, the last being this August 2009. What frustrated me is that this same neurologist has seen my Dad at least 10 times since this time. If he would have taken 15 minutes to flip through my Dad’s file just before calling us in, he would have realized this because some of the notes were in his hand.
Instead, he spent 15 minutes asking us questions that he should have already known. I know this Doctor must have hundreds of patients and I don’t expect him to remember every one. But, I think it’s only logical to read a file before seeing a patient. Maybe it’s just me but shouldn’t it be part of his job?
Wow, that is incredible. I’m sorry you had to go through that. I’m sure it’s hard enough watching your dad deal with strokes and brain surgery – you don’t need doctors like this on top of it. Sounds like this guy needs to find a different job.
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Oh that is terrible Maria.. The doctor should definitely have read those files before calling you guys in.. That is very unprofessional of him!
I hope your father recovers soon ya
Have a great weekend!
LJ
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If he read the file it would’ve saved a lot of time too. I totally agree, it should be part of his job to read a file before seeing a patient… I hope your dad feels better Maria!
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That doctor should’ve at least read the file before talking to you and starts asking you questions. Yeah, could’ve saved you both a lot of time.
When I was hospitalized, my doctor knew almost everything to the point that after doing my routine checkup she said “okay, i knew your family’s prone to asthma during this season”. Her remark actually made me smile, at least she still remembers my Dad’s records (who passed away 2 yrs ago), and my Mom’s and my younger brother’s.
Anyway, I hope your Dad feels better. Have a fun weekend
Mara´s last blog ..Happy Birthday, Bruhita!
There is no excuse for a doctor not looking through the file before seeing you. That’s incompetence! What if he had prescribed something and never bothered to check the chart to see if your dad was allergic or something? I hope your dad gets to feeling better soon.
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It doesn’t give you a lot of confidence in your Doctor, does it? I realize he is a specialist but if you are too busy to do your job properly maybe it’s time to make changes. Some of these Drs. are too arrogant to admit they are wrong though. This is why I much prefer Nurse Practitioners. They tend to take far more time to actually listen and treat the patient.
That was a frustrating experience for you and your Dad.
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Maria that doctor is incompetent. We had a family doctor like him. We now have a new family doctor. I suggest you get his records from that doctor and then get a new one.
Hope your Dad is feeling better.
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I agree completely! He sounds like such an arrogant jerk.
My reaction would be to see somebody else. I don’t like his cavalier attitude at all. I would be afraid he’d miss something important because he didn’t take the time to look through your dad’s history.
I’m so sorry and you really deserve to be frustrated over this!
Oh, that’s sad. Our doctors here are friendlier, though I’ve encountered a few who are apathetic.
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He should have definitely looked at the file before seeing you. That is ridiculous. He may be busy but that is a part of his job. You and your dad will be in my thoughts and prayers.
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Hi Maria…. I agree with all who said “get a new doctor”. It’s frustrating enough that we have to drive through tons of traffic and sometimes quite a distance to sit in a waiting room for about an hour before we finally get to see a doctor. He could at least take the time to be prepared and knowledgeable about our history when we finally do get to see him. Ask around and hopefully you’ll find a much better doctor who treats his/her patients well. I hope your Dad feels better soon
A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~
LaShan ´s last blog ..Friday Frustrations – Random Frustrations
I’m so sorry to learn about your father’s condition. That doctor’s apathy certainly would raise an alarm with me. Not only does it indicate a lack of caring and real concern, it also makes me leery about what his recommendations would be.
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