How Often Does this Happen to DO's?

[costales]

Ew, not super excited about that. How do you deal with the asshats when they pop up?

There are ways to deal with them - depending on their condition, whether there is family with them, and what's at stake. For a first timer, it's generally a good idea to acknowledge what they're saying, leave the room and call your upper/attending. Such patients are usually well known to staff, and there is a consensus among the team on how to proceed. It's not that bad - just shrug it off and soldier on.

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[Bones 2020]

It's interesting because I hear more people complain about MD's and say they would rather see a DO, for various reasons. But then being on the west coast, most people don't even know what a DO is

 

[DrMikeP]

Ew, not super excited about that. How do you deal with the asshats when they pop up?

My favorite statement is, Mr X, I sincerely can't help what has occurred in the past, however, I am here to provide you the best possible care now. I absolutely hear your concerns, so what can I do differently that will help you now? Then I repeat the last part until they start to come around.

That almost always works, with slight changes in phrasing depending on the pt.

But for some patients they just want to complain and I tell them: while I'm doing my consult with you tell me about your worst patient experience ever and don't leave out the details.

They don't expect that so it often disarms them. Then you ask questions in between and thank them for sharing.

Lots of tricks, but much like you don't get angry at a paraplegic for not being cooperative you find that people with mental illness or a just plain bad disposition are also experiencing their own debilitating conditions and your job is to view those as symptoms you need to add to your diagnoses and that need to be treated.

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[docycle]

I hate that viewpoint your father has. When you consider the fact that people can and do apply multiple times, take the MCAT multiple times, and do a Masters/Post-Bacc work that argument loses a lot of ground IMO. Add "knowing someone" on the admissions board and all the complexities of over/underrepresented in medicine and what you have is a system that is more of a roll of the dice than people think.

Eh. It's the older generation man. What can ya do...
"Wait for them to die off and bring their antiquated beliefs along with them?"
Pretty much I guess.

 

[deleted731525]

OP what region are you in?

Some of the older people on the east coast may act in this fashion. My father, for example, makes it a point to never see DOs for any particular sensitive issues/procedures (though he's fine with the fact that in the ER he doesn't have a choice), and he actually understands exactly what they are and the training they go through. He simply thinks that they are less intelligent people due to their weaker academic credentials and therefore does not trust them as much to practice effectively. I do understand and respect his viewpoint, but I would rather he judges a doctor on the basis of his record in practice and patient reviews rather than how he performed academically in undergrad.

But let's be honest -- it's not surprising we are going to have to deal with grossly misinformed patients, on all fronts. As future DOs, I think it's important that we be prepared to be reprimanded by patients, albeit once in a blue moon, simply because of the fact we are DOs. This will usually happen in the aftermath of a negative outcome, as the OP describes.

I didnt want to post out of fear for the ****storm that may come my way, but I have also noticed this viewpoint in the north east and not necessarily limited to older people. That being said I dont think I know anyone who would act like the person in the OP would, they would just avoid seeing DOs. In the end it doesnt matter, as has been said there is no shortage of patients.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Non-trads be non-traddin'.

I agree with the doctors you talked to. He wanted to complain about his complications, so he picked up on the 'DO' behind her name and that's what he jumped on. Isolated incident, I'm sure.

Sorry to reply so late in the game, but I was underway on a SAR mission most of the week and then on duty last night.

Anyway, I just want to rep for non-trads. I am 31, married, have 2 kids under 2, worked as an OR nurse for 7.5 years before joining the Navy and have served 3.5 years of a 6 year hitch. I am fairly non-trad, and I would never condescend that way. Most of my non-trad brethren (at least the vets) wouldn't. /rant

As to the topic, I worked extensively with DO surgeons in the OR, and I worked as a private scrub nurse for a DO surgeon, including helping him round and see patients in his office. In two years of working with him, I never heard a patient say anything about his degree.

What I did hear was patient after patient thank him for taking away their pain or saving their lives or just being there for them. If you provide quality care, no one but giant dickholes who would complain about something anyway will make a big deal about the initials after your name (and yes, he had D.O. on his coat).

 

[petyr_baelish]

I have only noticed positive bias. At my clinic the DO was often requested because rich housewives thought he would be more amenable to alternative medicine. He was proud to have graduated from an MD residency and did not practice OMM at all. Also other MDs in the group would refer all back pain stuff to him which he also hated.

 

[The O.R. Light]

I've only had one negative experience as a DO, and it's because the patient was on a substance that made them say some...interesting remarks. Not just to DOs, but to everyone. Interesting night, that it was.

In fact, I've had quite the OPPOSITE of the stigma people expect. I've been taught by MDs, and the heads of residency programs I'm looking at have DOs as partners. Yes, there's going to be some bias in some locations because well, that's life. However, I've had plenty of good to off-set that balance, and I'm not ashamed in the slightest of my DO title.

 

[DoctorSynthesis]

I've only had one negative experience as a DO, and it's because the patient was on a substance that made them say some...interesting remarks. Not just to DOs, but to everyone. Interesting night, that it was.

In fact, I've had quite the OPPOSITE of the stigma people expect. I've been taught by MDs, and the heads of residency programs I'm looking at have DOs as partners. Yes, there's going to be some bias in some locations because well, that's life. However, I've had plenty of good to off-set that balance, and I'm not ashamed in the slightest of my DO title.

Are you a doctor or an accepted student to medical school?

 

[dushash]

Interesting thread to read. I was just wondering if there are some courses in med.school curriculum that will teach how to handle such incidents?

P.S. I am not a US citizen and one thing that I was a bit surprised about US in general is how quick people are to sue you for something, even if it's something insignificant. People take it personally and want revenge or some kind of primal satisfaction. This eats away so much resources that could have been put elsewhere. I understand it's a huge business for lawyers and we probably can't change anything in that regard, but this makes things more complicated for everyone than they should be.

 

[DrMikeP]

Interesting thread to read. I was just wondering if there are some courses in med.school curriculum that will teach how to handle such incidents?

P.S. I am not a US citizen and one thing that I was a bit surprised about US in general is how quick people are to sue you for something, even if it's something insignificant. People take it personally and want revenge or some kind of primal satisfaction. This eats away so much resources that could have been put elsewhere. I understand it's a huge business for lawyers and we probably can't change anything in that regard, but this makes things more complicated for everyone than they should be.

Not sure about the various med schools, but my hospital has Psychology come in and do lectures for med students and residents on how to work with difficult patients, managing stress, physician suicide, etc