Differences between Polish and American surgeons

[eskimo]

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In Poland, surgeons do many of the gastroscopies and colonoscopies and I was wondering if this is the same in America or are these procedures mainly pushed to the GI docs? Also, many times the discharge papers here are writtng in latin, is this ever seen in America or is it strictly english? Thanks 🙂

 

[shag]

The person or team doing scopes varies by hospital.

While both surgeons and GI medicine docs do scopes at the "big house" (i.e. university), GI medicine handle most scope consults for GI bleeds, etc. Surgeons do all scopes at our community hospital, and is where residents get their numbers.

I personally prefer to scope patients myself if I'm going to operate on them. I feel that it makes a difference in expectations when selecting, planning, and performing an operation.

 

[core0]

The person or team doing scopes varies by hospital.

While both surgeons and GI medicine docs do scopes at the "big house" (i.e. university), GI medicine handle most scope consults for GI bleeds, etc. Surgeons do all scopes at our community hospital, and is where residents get their numbers.

I personally prefer to scope patients myself if I'm going to operate on them. I feel that it makes a difference in expectations when selecting, planning, and performing an operation.

Actually for average risk patients even some of our GI docs would agree that it might be better for the surgeons to do the scopes, since they will see what they need to do if they find cancer. The problem that you run into is that if the GI docs perceive that you are taking away their bread and butter cases, it is very unlikely that they will refer you anything - ie colon cancer or even a gallbladder. The other thing that I see is where colorectal surgeons scope someone, diagnose IBD and then try to treat it. In our market they are not at all up to date on treatment options - re: we've had you on steroids for a year and you aren't getting better, maybe I should send you to GI.

I think that for symptomatic patients ie: bleeds etc this should be the province of GI. I also understand that in outlying communities the only available endoscopist may be a surgeon. I do think that surgeons should no how to scope. It is very helpful if you run into a problem in surgery that can be best viewed from the inside.

Another interesting phenomenon is surgery by GI doc's in other countries. I met a French GI doc who became quite proficent with laprascopic GI surgery before it became the rage among general surgeons.

David Carpenter, PA-C

 

[Dr JPH]

I opened this thread hoping for a joke.

I am very dissapointed. 😉

 

[Winged Scapula]

yeah, me too (actually I was wondering if it needed closing! ) 😉

 

[Winged Scapula]

Also, many times the discharge papers here are writtng in latin, is this ever seen in America or is it strictly english? Thanks 🙂

Well, since VERY few Americans (physicans included) read Latin, that would be difficult to process, let alone defend in a court of law.

Instructions here are almost always in English, occasionally in Spanish.