Ever give your number out to patients?

[La Fiera]

---

Members do not see this ad.

No, I'm not talking about passing out your number in hopes of finding a soulmate😀
But I recently came across a ED physician who provides his cell number on discharge instructions in case the patient has a question. I was pretty impressed by this, as long as it wasn't abused!!!
Anyone else do this?

 

[doctorFred]

No, I'm not talking about passing out your number in hopes of finding a soulmate😀
But I recently came across a ED physician who provides his cell number on discharge instructions in case the patient has a question. I was pretty impressed by this, as long as it wasn't abused!!!
Anyone else do this?

his cell? that's crazy. if you feel the need, give the ED number. in general, i feel like people should be discouraged from any kind of "follow up" in the ER. that's what PCPs are for. straight-forward questions about discharge instructions could probably be answered by any other physician who answers the phone in the ED (or nurse, or PA.)

 

[willow18]

Ahem, as we were saying...
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=671924

 

[GeneralVeers]

Ahem, as we were saying...
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=671924

You know my opinion on this. That guy is nuts.

 

[Katydid]

Standard disclaimer: I am not emergency personnel. I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV.

I have, however, been a patient in an ER, and have brought my child to the ER twice in her life.

By the time we get through dealing with whatever brought us to the ER in the first place (you know, the last place I want to be, ever, to be honest)? You could hand out your phone number, and I wouldn't know where I'd put it. Discharge instructions, yeah, I'll find 'em, and follow up with my primary care doc. Prescription for antibiotics or whatever, I'll get it filled.

But call you to discuss any follow ups? That's what primary care is for. And, with our last insurer, they had access to our medical records, including ER visits. So, what the heck do I need your number for? I figure I'm just adding to your daily duties, and you don't need it.

If I have a question, I'll call the ED. But for follow up care, I'll call my primary. And, if you have prescribed something I'm allergic to (not much with me, but I don't do most opioids because I'm allergic to morphine and found that out the hard way...not my idea of a fun night), then I'll call the ED, and go from there. Anything else, though, I think my primary can handle it.

 

[GeneralVeers]

If I have a question, I'll call the ED. But for follow up care, I'll call my primary. And, if you have prescribed something I'm allergic to (not much with me, but I don't do most opioids because I'm allergic to morphine and found that out the hard way...not my idea of a fun night), then I'll call the ED, and go from there. Anything else, though, I think my primary can handle it.

I wish all people were as reasonable as you. Can I hire you to come speak to my entitled patients from New York who ask 50,000 questions, and call all of their doctors 2-3X per week?

 

[Katydid]

I wish all people were as reasonable as you. Can I hire you to come speak to my entitled patients from New York who ask 50,000 questions, and call all of their doctors 2-3X per week?

I can come out with a cattle prod, and for every infraction, they get a nasty shock!

And I have to wonder why I am so reasonable, and why these folks are not. I mean, really, people? You want to hang around an emergency room, and pester a doctor who has discharged you? I dislike the emergency room unless I'm people-watching the drunks and drugged-out freaks that come in. Usually when I'm there, I just want to get OUT, and when I'm out, I wanna go home. No hanging about.

It's not that you're not a good doctor, it's just that I'd rather follow up with my primary, who sees me at least once a year, and who knows my medical history better. That's all.

 

[GeneralVeers]

I can come out with a cattle prod, and for every infraction, they get a nasty shock!

And I have to wonder why I am so reasonable, and why these folks are not. I mean, really, people? You want to hang around an emergency room, and pester a doctor who has discharged you? I dislike the emergency room unless I'm people-watching the drunks and drugged-out freaks that come in. Usually when I'm there, I just want to get OUT, and when I'm out, I wanna go home. No hanging about.

It's not that you're not a good doctor, it's just that I'd rather follow up with my primary, who sees me at least once a year, and who knows my medical history better. That's all.

I think the majority of people ARE reasonable and don't want to be there. It's just that there is a small subset of defective people: drug addicts, hypochondriacs, psych people who enjoy medications or secondary gain. They use up so much of our resources that it tends to cloud our opinion of the public at large.

 

[Apollyon]

I wish all people were as reasonable as you. Can I hire you to come speak to my entitled patients from New York who ask 50,000 questions, and call all of their doctors 2-3X per week?

Seriously - you CHOSE to work in Las Vegas; no one makes you work there, and the clientele seems to be the #1, 2 and 3 reasons why you sound so dissatisfied.

If there is one thing my patients AREN'T in Hawai'i, it's "entitled" (and I work with the poorest people in Hawai'i). People shake my hand, they thank me, and they tell me that, if they come back, they want me again.

 

[GeneralVeers]

Seriously - you CHOSE to work in Las Vegas; no one makes you work there, and the clientele seems to be the #1, 2 and 3 reasons why you sound so dissatisfied.

If there is one thing my patients AREN'T in Hawai'i, it's "entitled" (and I work with the poorest people in Hawai'i). People shake my hand, they thank me, and they tell me that, if they come back, they want me again.

Why the attacks on me again? This is getting somewhat irritating. The New Yorkers are afraction of what I see, and only a small percentage of them are a problem. Probably 50% of my patients are otherwise normal, pleasant people.

I still work in Texas, and most of the patients are hispanic, pleasant to deal with and grateful. I plan to move back there if things in the rest of the country go the way I foresee it.

I guess it must be nice to be perfect at all things like yourself.

 

[Apollyon]

Why the attacks on me again? This is getting somewhat irritating. The New Yorkers are afraction of what I see, and only a small percentage of them are a problem. Probably 50% of my patients are otherwise normal, pleasant people.

I still work in Texas, and most of the patients are hispanic, pleasant to deal with and grateful. I plan to move back there if things in the rest of the country go the way I foresee it.

I guess it must be nice to be perfect at all things like yourself.

I'm not attacking you - it just seems that all of your problems rotate around your patient base, and someone with a similar perspective that posts on SDN doesn't seem to post nearly as much about the downsides.

Let me put it this way: if I was a med student or resident and didn't know where I wanted to practice, I would seek out where you were, and NOT go there.

I am not perfect at all things - that IS an outright attack on me without substance, and that knocks you down a peg.

 

[GeneralVeers]

I'm not attacking you - it just seems that all of your problems rotate around your patient base, and someone with a similar perspective that posts on SDN doesn't seem to post nearly as much about the downsides.

Let me put it this way: if I was a med student or resident and didn't know where I wanted to practice, I would seek out where you were, and NOT go there.

I am not perfect at all things - that IS an outright attack on me without substance, and that knocks you down a peg.

Hard to be knocked down a peg when you're already at the bottom....

At any rate I'd complain about the patient population regardless of city, hospital, practice etc. Every ER has a certain percentage of soul-sucking patients. Venting to my colleagues helps me deal with them, and allows me to go back to work the next day and deal with them all over again. I'm sure you even have them in Hawaii.

 

[Jeff698]

Every ER has a certain percentage of soul-sucking patients. Venting to my colleagues helps me deal with them, and allows me to go back to work the next day and deal with them all over again

Plus, it helps to have a name for them. I prefer "life-force stealing, soul-sucking dementors-from hell'.

Take care,
Jeff

 

[Katydid]

Plus, it helps to have a name for them. I prefer "life-force stealing, soul-sucking dementors-from hell'.

Take care,
Jeff

Make sure you're carrying good chocolate on you, then.....just sayin'....

 

[Apollyon]

I'm sure you even have them in Hawaii.

That's a difference to which I've not yet become accustomed. Even the guy I totally shot down (called two doctor's offices - and spoke with the doc at one, and a nurse at the other, found out he didn't have appointments and hadn't followed up, even though he'd gotten !Oxycontin! and !Percocet 10/650s!, and refused him methadone) THANKED me as he left - and he actually got the prescription filled for the Catapres patch (because I got a call from the pharmacy!)!

Like the Hispanic folks, even the soul-sucking ones (like the "total body dolor", which you saw at King, but is a nation-wide phenomenon) here can be very gracious. I haven't figured out the angle yet.

 

[Jeff698]

Make sure you're carrying good chocolate on you, then.....just sayin'....

They do seem to help. A good cache of them always make the department flow better. Or at least just seem like it does. 🙂

BTW, having a strong patronus is a must.

Take care,
Jeff

 

[Katydid]

They do seem to help. A good cache of them always make the department flow better. Or at least just seem like it does. 🙂

BTW, having a strong patronus is a must.

Take care,
Jeff

There are four things that make almost anything better: butter, bacon, cheese, and chocolate.

And just remember, a Louisville Slugger is not a wand.

 

[december07]

I'm not attacking you - it just seems that all of your problems rotate around your patient base, and someone with a similar perspective that posts on SDN doesn't seem to post nearly as much about the downsides.

Let me put it this way: if I was a med student or resident and didn't know where I wanted to practice, I would seek out where you were, and NOT go there.

I am not perfect at all things - that IS an outright attack on me without substance, and that knocks you down a peg.

to be fair... I'm a currently a med student (MS4), and when I began to have interest in EM back in early February, Generalveers was very helpful and encouraging. I PM him a few times with a laundry list of questions and he answered them all quite honestly.
Some of his post may sound negative, but I think he's just being brutally honest. And now that I have finished 3 EM rotations, I must say that my experience is very similar to what Generalveers stated.
Also, it's true that 75% of the complaints are about wait time 🙂 I alway tell them that I'm a student and I have no control over that... I don't know how much longer I can get away with that line.
Anyways, while on this topic, this is my opinion. I think giving out business card is location dependent. If you're in a rural setting ED, giving out business card maybe a good idea since following up with FM isn't that easy. But if you're in an Urban area where FM is plenty, I don't think you should give out cards. Pt should not be conditioned to abuse the ED if FM is accessible.

well...don't hold too much water with my input, cause i'm just a student still 🙂

 

[Apollyon]

Some of his post may sound negative, but I think he's just being brutally honest.

I am brutally honest, too. Does that sound less believable because I'm not negative?

And my anecdotal evidence for giving out business cards in an urban environment are the exact opposite - that does not bring the patients into the ED, but keeps them out (they know they can call, so they don't).

 

[december07]

I am brutally honest, too. Does that sound less believable because I'm not negative?

And my anecdotal evidence for giving out business cards in an urban environment are the exact opposite - that does not bring the patients into the ED, but keeps them out (they know they can call, so they don't).

I believe you too, but I do think that you may be more fortunate than others with the population you work with.

I don't understand the logic of "they know they can call, so they don't". I'm not saying that you're wrong, i'm just saying that my mentality to that is different. If they know they can call, THEY WILL. But if they have to go throught the trouble of looking you up and being PUT ON HOLD when they reach the department, they'll be detered from calling.

For example: I have credit card that I need to cancel, but I can never ever get through the operator. Everytime I call, I ended being transfered and put on hold, eventually, I gave up and still have the damn creditcard. I just don't use it anymore 🙂. But if I have a PERSONAL # of a banker that can help me, you know damn well I will dial it. I'll call until he's pissed and cancel my creditcard and never bother him again. It's a matter of convenience.

Eventhough every pt gets a discharge summary, more than likely they will not read the whole thing, or "left" it in their friend's car ect... and end up dialing your # to ask simple questions like when can they shower with these stiches in the forehead.

anyways, this is an interesting conversation. I hope I can learn a lot from all of you guys cause this could apply to me in the near future. Till then, I'll wait for the match day first 🙂

 

[GeneralVeers]

December, thanks for the support.

I try to be honest as much as possible. People should understand that there are negatives to EM, besides just the fast cars, groupies, and enormous paycheck.

On an ironic note I was just informed that I hit the "customer service" marker of 75th percentile on my Press-Ganeys for the last 3 months (along with 6 other people out of 37 in our group) meaning I get a nice healthy bonus for being nice to patients.

 

[Apollyon]

I don't understand the logic of "they know they can call, so they don't". I'm not saying that you're wrong, i'm just saying that my mentality to that is different. If they know they can call, THEY WILL.

All I'm saying is that, in my experience, they don't. That is all. They don't call. They have an email address, and only email thanks. I can't make you understand the logic, but, all I can say is that people have a number to call, but don't call it.

Where I'm at now, the nurses field the calls - no one - NO ONE - demands to speak to the doctor. And what do the nurses say? "What did your discharge instructions say?" Or, "Motrin and ibuprofen are the same thing."

 

[Jeff698]

Groupies? I seem to be missing something here.

Dammit.


Take care,
Jeff

 

[GeneralVeers]

Groupies? I seem to be missing something here.

Dammit.


Take care,
Jeff

You guys keep asking why I stick around in Vegas.....

 

[Jeff698]

You guys keep asking why I stick around in Vegas.....

Aha! Now I get it.

Take care,
Jeff

 

[december07]

December, thanks for the support.

I try to be honest as much as possible. People should understand that there are negatives to EM, besides just the fast cars, groupies, and enormous paycheck.

On an ironic note I was just informed that I hit the "customer service" marker of 75th percentile on my Press-Ganeys for the last 3 months (along with 6 other people out of 37 in our group) meaning I get a nice healthy bonus for being nice to patients.

hang on now, you told me many things, but never mentioned "groupies"...! You're holding out on crucial information here!!!

 

[GeneralVeers]

hang on now, you told me many things, but never mentioned "groupies"...! You're holding out on crucial information here!!!

That information is only available when you become a full Knight, oh young Padowan.