Drive-Thru Society

My last primary care physician left last May. His replacement was due in June, and he told me to schedule an appointment with her as soon as she started. I have a few medical issues that he felt needed to be monitored, recurring paralysis, some heart issues, and memory loss. I managed to get in to see the new doctor in February. She spent almost 7 minutes with me. She said that she wanted to get to know mw and my history as she looked at her laptop to get my name. The rest of the appointment was spent with me providing my history to her, history that has been provided to the last 4 doctors I have had at that location, and she, like all the others entered notes into my file.

Last month, I had a problem in Occupational Therapy. During the session, I lost functional use of my left arm, and its customary numbness was replaced with shooting pain. The pain then started to go through my back, and I knew that I was in trouble. I tried to leave as lying down might help with the pain. I was in agony, and it was getting worse. My therapist could not let me leave, if I get hurt, they have to have me examined by a doctor. She also told me that I could get something for the pain. I waited an hour and a half, the nurse who pre-interviewed me asked me why I was there and was unaware that the appointment was scheduled by another department within her clinic. She had no clue as to why I was there. A little while later, a doctor entered carrying a familiar looking laptop. He had no idea as to why I was there (even though I had just explained everything to his nurse) frustration then got the best of me. I told him that I was there because I was hurt in his clinic and that they require me to see a doctor. He did offer me a prescription for aspirin. I was in pain, frustrated, and just wanting to leave, so I told him where he could put his prescription, and asked if I could leave.

Now we come to yesterday: I’m sitting on the table wearing nothing but a paper gown when my doctor enters. She looks at her laptop and says, “Mr. (pause as he attempts to read my name), do you have any medical concerns you wish to discuss?” It is apparent that she does not know anything about my medical situation, my recent history, or me. I look towards the chair where my cloths are, weighing the decision to just leave. As I will have to pay for the appointment, I decide to stay and answer her, “No, no concerns. As you can see by my records I am as healthy as can be.” She nodded her head in agreement. Then, I thought something tipped her off , it might have been the unnatural curve of my spine, the twitching of my arm, or the cane sitting next to my cloths, she looked at the laptop. But I was mistaken. She then began to ask me the same set of questions every physician asks a new patient. The same questions that I have answered numerous times before, and she did as all the others did, entered the answers into her computer. She did ask about my physical activity, and I thought my answer of semi-pro foot ball and national rhythmic gymnastics were a little over the top, but she entered that into her computer and moved on to questions of diet. When the appointment was finished, about 10 minutes after it had started, she left me to get dressed. Then returned with a card and said to make in appointment for next year. I then left the office for the last time.

Why do they enter notes if they are not going to look at them? Is it too much to expect a physician to at least know your name before entering, and perhaps know a little bit about your situation? In the case of the doctors, one or two minutes looking at the notes in my file would have saved them more than that amount of time in the interview process of the appointment, provided a better relationship with the patient, appear professional and competent. Instead, I feel frustrated, my case is not worth their interest, and I don’t want to go back.

So where do I go from here? Besides the obvious of looking for new healthcare, I need to learn from this and apply these lessons to my own life and practices. When I meet with people, I need to refresh my memory of who they are, try to remember what we talked about. In the case of counseling sessions, review notes as well. Each person I deal with in either a personal or professional capacity must be made to feel like the unique and special person that they are, and not like a number.

Life is not just a drive-thru.

Tony