From The Guardian.co.uk:
Ever wondered if doctors are frightened of catching what you’ve got? What their notes really mean? Or how to get round their receptionist? We asked five doctors to spill the beans.
Dr Everything General practice
Dr Child Paediatrics
Dr Cancer Oncology
Dr Gynae Women’s health
Dr Mind Psychiatry
Here are a few questions:
Why do patients have to sit for so long in waiting rooms?
Dr Everything In general practice it may well have to do with a number of factors, such as the GP starting late or the GP dealing with emergencies. And not all problems can be shoehorned into a 10-minute consultation. Many are complex – mental-health issues, grief, cancer and sick children to name but a few. Some GPs teach their patients to book double appointments if their problems are tricky, while others may have queues of patients checking about the flu.
Dr Gynae Patients are often given appointment times of 15 minutes earlier than their actual appointment to compensate for parking problems at hospitals.
Dr Child Doctors often arrive late at clinic because of work commitments on the ward or elsewhere, or following a desperate bid to squeeze in lunch. Some clinics have a crazy system whereby everyone arrives at once and is seen on a “first come, first served’ basis. This is worth complaining about.
Dr Cancer Usually because someone has allocated too-small time slots, or because members of the team are away. If you have had to wait, don’t berate the doctor as it only slows things down even more.
Are you annoyed when a patient wants a second opinion?
Dr Mind I welcome second opinions.
Dr Gynae I am slightly irritated if it seems the patient has a lack of confidence in me.
Dr Cancer No. I think it is important for the patient to have complete trust in their doctor and their treatment.
Dr Child If the request comes in the context of genuine concern, that’s fine. Most patients here will be seen by more than one doctor anyway.
Dr Everything Definitely not. If I am proved right, that can be an ego rush; but the most valuable times are when I am wrong, and I can figure out how it could have gone better and what I didn’t know. Good patient relationships have come out of me replying honestly about where I think things went wrong and what I would do to improve the situation.
Have you ever had to fire a patient?
Dr Gynae No.
Dr Everything Some longstanding GPs have, but so far I have not. Patients get fired for repeatedly failing to attend appointments, violence, verbal abuse, drug misuse and deliberately misleading or manipulating staff.
Dr Mind Certainly I have, particularly when patients become overattached or excessively demanding.
Dr Cancer No, but I’ve been tempted at times.
