When your doctor is a bully

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lobelsteve said:
www.verywellhealth.com

8 Signs Your Healthcare Provider Is Bullying You

Most healthcare providers have a positive bedside manner. But there are a few that have no respect for their patients. Discover eight signs your practitioner is a bully.
www.verywellhealth.com www.verywellhealth.com
Click to expand...

Signs Your Doctor Is a Bully
While it is counterintuitive to find a bully in a helping profession, bullies do exist in the medical field. Here are some red flags that your doctor may be a bully:


  • Refuses to answer your questions or provide you with information about your condition. In other words, he expects you to follow his suggestions for treatment without any additional information and seems really put out if you ask questions. His expectation is that he is the expert and you should just take his word for it and do exactly as he says. Remember, you should always play a role in making healthcare decisions.
  • Intimidates and manipulates you into having examinations or procedures that you do not want to have without explanation as to why they are medically necessary. Remember, you have a right to refuse treatment. You are not required to give a physician absolute authority over your body.
  • Displays arrogant and self-righteous behavior. For instance, if you ask about his experience or expertise in a particular area, he is clearly insulted. What's more, he may even make a rude comment about how well-educated and experienced he is.
  • Lacks empathy. Some healthcare providers have a hard time displaying emotion when diagnosing a serious illness. However, this is not the same as showing a lack of empathy. Doctors who lack empathy or emotional intelligence, simply do not care that you are upset, worried or nervous. It will seem as if they do not even notice what you are feeling and if they do notice they do not care.
  • Does not respect your need for modesty or privacy. Most doctors will knock on the door before entering. They also will move your gown as little as possible to preserve your modesty while examining you. If your doctor barges into your room without knocking and does not respect your dignity, then he may be a bully. It also is a red flag if he fails to warn you of what he is about to do while examining you or if he leaves you in an exposed position.
  • Speaks condescendingly toward you. Doctors are well-educated and knowledgeable, but this does not give them the right to treat you like you are stupid. If your doctor talks down to you or does not speak respectfully, this could be a sign that he is a bully.
  • Handles you roughly. While it is true, there are some examinations and procedures that hurt, your doctor should still be sensitive to your comfort. He also should refrain from any unnecessary prodding. If your doctor regularly hurts you without explanation or apology, you may want to consider finding another healthcare provider.
  • Treats his nurses and assistants poorly. If a doctor's nurses, physician assistants, and support staff are nervous around him, this is a bad sign. A quality healthcare team should always have good communication among its team members. If the others involved in your care seem afraid to make a mistake, this could be detrimental to you in the long run. Remember, when medical teams do not exhibit mutual respect and open communication, in the end, you will be the one who suffers.
 
drusso said:
Signs Your Doctor Is a Bully
While it is counterintuitive to find a bully in a helping profession, bullies do exist in the medical field. Here are some red flags that your doctor may be a bully:


  • Refuses to answer your questions or provide you with information about your condition. In other words, he expects you to follow his suggestions for treatment without any additional information and seems really put out if you ask questions. His expectation is that he is the expert and you should just take his word for it and do exactly as he says. Remember, you should always play a role in making healthcare decisions.
  • Intimidates and manipulates you into having examinations or procedures that you do not want to have without explanation as to why they are medically necessary. Remember, you have a right to refuse treatment. You are not required to give a physician absolute authority over your body.
  • Displays arrogant and self-righteous behavior. For instance, if you ask about his experience or expertise in a particular area, he is clearly insulted. What's more, he may even make a rude comment about how well-educated and experienced he is.
  • Lacks empathy. Some healthcare providers have a hard time displaying emotion when diagnosing a serious illness. However, this is not the same as showing a lack of empathy. Doctors who lack empathy or emotional intelligence, simply do not care that you are upset, worried or nervous. It will seem as if they do not even notice what you are feeling and if they do notice they do not care.
  • Does not respect your need for modesty or privacy. Most doctors will knock on the door before entering. They also will move your gown as little as possible to preserve your modesty while examining you. If your doctor barges into your room without knocking and does not respect your dignity, then he may be a bully. It also is a red flag if he fails to warn you of what he is about to do while examining you or if he leaves you in an exposed position.
  • Speaks condescendingly toward you. Doctors are well-educated and knowledgeable, but this does not give them the right to treat you like you are stupid. If your doctor talks down to you or does not speak respectfully, this could be a sign that he is a bully.
  • Handles you roughly. While it is true, there are some examinations and procedures that hurt, your doctor should still be sensitive to your comfort. He also should refrain from any unnecessary prodding. If your doctor regularly hurts you without explanation or apology, you may want to consider finding another healthcare provider.
  • Treats his nurses and assistants poorly. If a doctor's nurses, physician assistants, and support staff are nervous around him, this is a bad sign. A quality healthcare team should always have good communication among its team members. If the others involved in your care seem afraid to make a mistake, this could be detrimental to you in the long run. Remember, when medical teams do not exhibit mutual respect and open communication, in the end, you will be the one who suffers.
Click to expand...
A long article to say. If your doctor won’t give you oxy for your fibro he is a bully
 
drusso said:
Signs Your Doctor Is a Bully
While it is counterintuitive to find a bully in a helping profession, bullies do exist in the medical field. Here are some red flags that your doctor may be a bully:


  • Refuses to answer your questions or provide you with information about your condition. In other words, he expects you to follow his suggestions for treatment without any additional information and seems really put out if you ask questions. His expectation is that he is the expert and you should just take his word for it and do exactly as he says. Remember, you should always play a role in making healthcare decisions.
  • Intimidates and manipulates you into having examinations or procedures that you do not want to have without explanation as to why they are medically necessary. Remember, you have a right to refuse treatment. You are not required to give a physician absolute authority over your body.
  • Displays arrogant and self-righteous behavior. For instance, if you ask about his experience or expertise in a particular area, he is clearly insulted. What's more, he may even make a rude comment about how well-educated and experienced he is.
  • Lacks empathy. Some healthcare providers have a hard time displaying emotion when diagnosing a serious illness. However, this is not the same as showing a lack of empathy. Doctors who lack empathy or emotional intelligence, simply do not care that you are upset, worried or nervous. It will seem as if they do not even notice what you are feeling and if they do notice they do not care.
  • Does not respect your need for modesty or privacy. Most doctors will knock on the door before entering. They also will move your gown as little as possible to preserve your modesty while examining you. If your doctor barges into your room without knocking and does not respect your dignity, then he may be a bully. It also is a red flag if he fails to warn you of what he is about to do while examining you or if he leaves you in an exposed position.
  • Speaks condescendingly toward you. Doctors are well-educated and knowledgeable, but this does not give them the right to treat you like you are stupid. If your doctor talks down to you or does not speak respectfully, this could be a sign that he is a bully.
  • Handles you roughly. While it is true, there are some examinations and procedures that hurt, your doctor should still be sensitive to your comfort. He also should refrain from any unnecessary prodding. If your doctor regularly hurts you without explanation or apology, you may want to consider finding another healthcare provider.
  • Treats his nurses and assistants poorly. If a doctor's nurses, physician assistants, and support staff are nervous around him, this is a bad sign. A quality healthcare team should always have good communication among its team members. If the others involved in your care seem afraid to make a mistake, this could be detrimental to you in the long run. Remember, when medical teams do not exhibit mutual respect and open communication, in the end, you will be the one who suffers.
Click to expand...
Some nurses and MAs are incompetent. I understand we live in a “woke” era where we are supposed to care about everyone’s feelings, but where do we draw the line when it comes to when we can or can’t chastise them for repeating the same mistakes?
 
"he expects you to follow his suggestions for treatment without any additional information and seems really put out if you ask questions. His expectation is that he is the expert and you should just take his word for it and do exactly as he says."

so 1990's... those were the good old days
 
Check. Check. Check. Check. Check. Check. Check. Check.

I scored a 100!
 
When i used to have a hospital gig i would like to mess with the clinic manager who was always so concerned with patient complaints.

“hey doc, patient x said you discriminated against him.“

i answered.
“and?”

“he said you discriminated against him.”

“yes I did. When you practice medicine you discriminate every day. Not everyone gets a procedure, a Med, etc. that is what we learn from all those hours in training. Now go tell the administrators upstairs that we are going to get a lot more complaints. If people stop complaining, then they should start worrying.”

I never heard another word
 
It is impossible to practice medicine (any field) and not make some ppl unhappy.
 
There’s a pain doctor who works 10 miles from me who sadly fits this. He’ll give them a bit of meds to make them come back. And then force injections every 2-3 months. Literally, “you’re up for shots. I’m ordering this. See you next week”. When the pt declines, or says no that doesn’t work, he’ll yell and berate them. And threaten to terminate care if they don’t comply. Heard this from many former pts, or family members of current pts there. When I asked the spouse of one family member why they are repeating an RFA when it didn’t work last time, the spouse said “He has a terrible temper. We just do what he asks”. I actually felt sad hearing that

Of course, pts don’t have to keep going there. But the Norco 5 bid or tid keeps the vulnerable/dependent pts from leaving.
 
paindoc007 said:
There’s a pain doctor who works 10 miles from me who sadly fits this. He’ll give them a bit of meds to make them come back. And then force injections every 2-3 months. Literally, “you’re up for shots. I’m ordering this. See you next week”. When the pt declines, or says no that doesn’t work, he’ll yell and berate them. And threaten to terminate care if they don’t comply. Heard this from many former pts, or family members of current pts there. When I asked the spouse of one family member why they are repeating an RFA when it didn’t work last time, the spouse said “He has a terrible temper. We just do what he asks”. I actually felt sad hearing that

Of course, pts don’t have to keep going there. But the Norco 5 bid or tid keeps the vulnerable/dependent pts from leaving.
Click to expand...

I take those stories with a grain of salt.
 
Ligament said:
One of my patients accused me of taking him outside the clinic and yelling at him in public. Of course never happened.
Click to expand...

:laugh: Then you threw him up against the wall, dumped out his pills and stomped on them.
 
I mean, I think I’m pretty reasonable with good bedside manner and don’t force procedures on my patients, especially never used pain meds as tool to get extra unnecessary procedures. But, I have raised my voice and have kicked out patients for being ultra shady, seeking, breaking contract blatantly. Haven’t we all lost it at one point or another? Or is it just me? ‍
 
Extralong said:
I have raised my voice and have kicked out patients for being ultra shady, seeking, breaking contract blatantly. Haven’t we all lost it at one point or another? Or is it just me? ‍
Click to expand...

Yup. Screening the referrals is so, so important.

For our own mental health. Forget the physician wellness stuff. That is probably one of the highest yield interventions.
 
Disciple said:
Yup. Screening the referrals is so, so important.

For our own mental health. Forget the physician wellness stuff. That is probably one of the highest yield interventions.
Click to expand...

totally agree
 
BobBarker said:
Maybe once a quarter I get, “Patient X said you said this?”

“Yes, I did.”

“ohh ok..”
Click to expand...
Clinic manager came to me,”dr sb247, in case you hear about it later patient x has left the clinic and is filing a complaint”

“sweet!” *raises hand*

What are you doing?

“up high!”.....

*confused face*

“they were mean to everyone and I got them to leave by just offering appropriate care. We’re free! You’re welcome. High five!”

*shakes her head, but smiles and high fives, because I’m right”
 
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