matter of opinion

[student99999]

hi everyone, i just started studying medicine and before i ask for you opinions i'd like to apologize for my bad English just ignore my spelling mistakes ^^

i need a ... "second opinion". we have this class "introduction in medicine and history of medicine" on which we learn not only about history of medicine but also how it looks today, in our county and all around the world... so on one of the classes, we were discussing about needs and request of patients, the professor gave us this situation:

1) a patient walks into your office and says he has that and that disease and he needs this medicine/therapy... how do you act?

then he mentioned that "needs of patients = ability to cover the expenses of some therapy", everything else would be request (here it means more than a pure need, a luxury) and gave following example:

2) suppose someone has problem with his nose...strictly physical appearance, and he requests a plastic surgery in order to improve the quality of life...
so its no longer a request, as it improves someone way of living, it becomes a need...

i disagreed, and said its a totally different kind of problem, that its no need, or that the problem is not in the nose, its about the way of thinking, and its a case for psychologists and/or psychiatrists...

then he said, and what if that person kills himself, and then someone else as well, because they couldnt get a nose job... then its a need he said

i am not sure if u'll understand me, but what i'd like to hear for you is... what do you think is a NEED and what is .... a request, more than a need, something that isnt necessary
i looked on it like this, life important things (no matter if its some medicine or something else) is a need and everything above it is a request

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[greatnt249]

1) a patient walks into your office and says he has that and that disease and he needs this medicine/therapy... how do you act?

You request proof that he/she has already been diagnosed with said disease by another doctor; otherwise, I'd make him/her sit there and wait for me to do a full workup before jumping to any conclusions.

then he said, and what if that person kills himself, and then someone else as well, because they couldnt get a nose job... then its a need he said

No, it's still not a need. Because a patient might kill himself and/or others (in this ridiculous hypothetical example) does not automatically make a cosmetic procedure a need. If he/she vocalizes his/her intent to cause harm to himself or others, however, then you have a duty to warn; that's it.

 

[student99999]

i cant agree more... i cant see how a cosmetic procedure can become a need even though it can improve life quality in some way, its still not life-important...

and why i think it shouldn't be put on the list of therapies which medical insurance covers (or participates in paying)

 

[Blesbok]

See, the proper response would have been, " I NEED your house. Not having my own house is depressing me and I might just have to go out and kill myself or someone else because of it. I will meet you after class for the keys, thanks. And please have your stuff out by saturday"

 

[DrYoda]

2) suppose someone has problem with his nose...strictly physical appearance, and he requests a plastic surgery in order to improve the quality of life...
so its no longer a request, as it improves someone way of living, it becomes a need...

i disagreed, and said its a totally different kind of problem, that its no need, or that the problem is not in the nose, its about the way of thinking, and its a case for psychologists and/or psychiatrists...

then he said, and what if that person kills himself, and then someone else as well, because they couldnt get a nose job... then its a need he said

i am not sure if u'll understand me, but what i'd like to hear for you is... what do you think is a NEED and what is .... a request, more than a need, something that isnt necessary
i looked on it like this, life important things (no matter if its some medicine or something else) is a need and everything above it is a request

1. By that logic a Maserati is a need

2. If the patient threatens to harm others the responsible thing to do would be to contact the police. Not to give them a nose-job.

 

[Droopy Snoopy]

OP I think your attending was playing devil's advocate.