Patient Rights

[DocWife]

So today I went to a GI specialist for a very personal problem. I knew going into the clinic that it was a clinic that was associated with my husbands medical school (my husband is a M3). My husband said that I should just request no students be present during my appointment.
I was called into the office by one of my husbands classmates who I have met only a few times, but see at all of the school functions, at bars, etc...
I made it clear that I wasn't comfortable with her in the room and that I was a little upset that she was the one who met me there and not the Doctor to ask if it was even ok that a student see me instead of him.
After I gave my history (very vaguely because I was so embarrassed) the Doctor came in and I again said I was very uncomfortable with the student in the room. The Doctor said I was being silly and went about the appointment.
I was there for a rectal exam and I was so humiliated that I had to have a girl who I associate with in a social setting in the room with me.
I am so furious with how this happened and I dont understand why it happened. Do patient's have any rights when it comes to this???? I know they do, and I am appauled with what happened. I feel like as a wife of a medical student I have basically waived all my rights for privacy.

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[fourthyearmed]

Wow! You are brave, I think I would have left. My worst nightmare is to be in an accident and brought to my med school's ER and everyone watch my clothes being cut off!

 

[cagney]

This is so awful. I think I would file a complaint with the hospital. It would be really hard for me to see that individual in a social setting again too. Your rights were violated.

cagney

 

[Febrifuge]

Wow! You are brave, I think I would have left. My worst nightmare is to be in an accident and brought to my med school's ER and everyone watch my clothes being cut off!

Maybe it's because I work in the best ER within 500 miles of my home, but if I get T-boned by an SUV on the road, I absolutely want to be brought to the place I work. I don't care if my case is run by one of the guy residents I talk football with; there will be a rectal exam, a Foley, the whole shootin' match. And I don't care. If I need to be there, you can bet modesty will be the furthest thing from my mind. ...If I'm conscious.

I'm sorry if this seems harsh; it's not meant to be. But if you're going to be a doctor you really, really need to let go of any concept of the naked body as remotely shameful or embarrassing. And I figure, that starts at home, y'know?

 

[Febrifuge]

So today I went to a GI specialist for a very personal problem. ... My husband said that I should just request no students be present during my appointment. I was called into the office by one of my husbands classmates who I have met only a few times, but see at all of the school functions, at bars, etc...

I made it clear that I wasn't comfortable with her in the room and that I was a little upset that she was the one who met me there and not the Doctor to ask if it was even ok that a student see me instead of him.

After I gave my history (very vaguely because I was so embarrassed) the Doctor came in and I again said I was very uncomfortable with the student in the room. The Doctor said I was being silly and went about the appointment.
I was there for a rectal exam and I was so humiliated that I had to have a girl who I associate with in a social setting in the room with me...

Now you, on the other hand, are not in the process of becoming a physician. It is absolutely inexcusable, the way that physician treated you. If your account of the facts is accurate and complete, you deserve an apology at the very least, and possibly more depending on the specifics.

Also, the student should have had a strong enough internal ethical compass to either speak up on your behalf (as part of being a good patient advocate) or at least excuse herself for the remainder of the exam. She failed an important test, in my opinion.

If it were someone in my family, I'd recommend going to the patient advocacy office/ ombudsman's office, if there is one. Since it's a university health center, there must be some sort of Chair or Department head's office. If you need to you could go there or call there, and find out if there is a process/ policy about complaints. If so, make one. It's better for the system, it's better for the education of the students, and it's better for the patients.