Dear Lit Loves,
Greetings! I am taking a break from reviewing books as quite honestly I have not recently come across any interesting reads, particularly for the memoir genre. Instead I've decided to use this blog to reflect on some of my more recent insulting and unprofessional encounters with medical specialists.
Dear Doctor, it would be highly advisable to not "Diss" a patient. Is it me or have some medical specialists in particular just become downright unprofessional and rude in their behavior toward patients?? If these medical specialists didn't have us and our copays and health insurance, they would not be who they are or where they are, right? Yet, as a full-time patient who frequents hospitals, clinics, and medical offices, the unthinkable and unimaginable just keep happening.
Two weeks ago I went to visit one of my numerous medical specialists. I was informed by her office staff when I signed in that my doctor was running fifteen minutes behind already and I had a morning appointment. To my amazement, all ten people already residing in the waiting room were doing nothing but playing with their phones. I hate cell phones. Cell phones and social media both contribute to the dehumanization of life itself. In fact, I call social media "antisocial media" because no one is truly connecting with anyone, folks. You're just interacting with a device for crying out loud! This Generation Xer's motto has become: Do Something Great For Society Today: Take A Hammer To A Cell Phone Or Even Better, Flush A Cell Phone!!
So I proceed to read my book while waiting for my appointment when I hear someone seemingly scratching at the office door entrance or batting at the door handle. Because everyone else was busy jabbing away at their phones, I opened the office door to find a young staff member holding what looked to be a ginormous order from Starbucks. Now I detest coffee and have never crossed the threshold of a Starbucks in my life, but obviously someone needed their Starbucks fix at this particular medical practice. Thank the Lord I have never needed caffeine to get my horses riled up enough to crush the rest of the field in The Kentucky Derby.
Still waiting for my appointment and trying to read my book, I'm conscious that other patients are being called back for their appointments. I figure my specialist had an emergency that morning which is why she's running behind schedule. When a door opens and I see my medical specialist allow the patient with the appointment before mine to exit, I'm already picking up my purse and putting away my book when a strange thing happens. My specialist does not wave me back to her office. Instead, she holds up one index finger indicating she needs a moment and is not ready to see me yet. Joy, I think and try to remain calm. Deep breathing ensues. Maybe she's taking a bathroom break? Or taking her own medication??
Next thing I know, my medical specialist is intermingling with the office staff who I can readily see through a glass partition and ingesting what looks like a double grande latte with whipped topping. She is also simultaneously chatting up the office staff about some television program they all must watch and laughing. This contributed to another delay as I remain in the waiting room steaming with anger. How rude! How unprofessional! How arrogant! How would I not interpret this behavior as a sign that I as a patient am not a priority and my time is obviously not as valuable as hers. It was absolutely demeaning and I knew as I sat fuming that I had lost respect for this medical specialist, would never recommend her to anyone, and most likely would not give her a glowing recommendation on any online medical rating system.
Presently, I'm looking to replace this medical specialist. As I have always maintained throughout my endless doctor visits and interaction with those revered members of the healthcare community, you can always "fire" a doctor or medical specialist. I know because I have fired more than my fair share of doctors. Let this be a lesson dear doctors, when your double grande latte and incessant, irrelevant chatter takes precedence over respecting me as a patient and seeing me in a timely fashion, you not only lose this patient, but the income generated from me and the many others I will warn to stay away from you when asked who I see in the medical community for a particular ailment.
Long live empowered patients!!
Best,
Grace
(Amy)
