Page 38 - issue
P. 38
DOCTORS GONE?WHEREHAVEALLTHE
NEW REALITIES
AT THE HOSPITAL
Any hospital stay, especially an unexpected one, can be
a time of great stress. It’s bad enough that you are not
feeling well and are stuck in this strange place rather
than at home, where you are comfortable. On top of
that is the vulnerability you or your family experience
by not being sure of the outcome of this episode.
Unfamiliarity with the health care staff, who are
(hopefully) attending to your needs, creates another
layer of anxiety. It’s confusing to even know “who’s who.” Is
this person entering the room a PA? Intern? Resident? Nurse?
Doctor? Mickey Mouse? (If you see Mickey Mouse, you may
need an adjustment to your medications.) Even when you feel
you are receiving excellent treatment, it is obvious you are not
the only patient your doctor or nurse needs to tend to, and
understaffing can be a problem.
And, by the way, there is one more thing that may add to
your discomfort: You won’t be seeing your own regular
internist or GP any more. Even if your internist, whom you
trust and with whom you have a relationship, has hospital
“privileges,” he or she will not be examining you or visiting
while you are hospitalized. Oh, where is Marcus Welby when
we need him?
The beloved, all-knowing fictional TV physician is long
gone, along with his show. It’s not that your doctor doesn’t
care about you. He or she does. It’s just that our health care
34 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
NEW REALITIES
AT THE HOSPITAL
Any hospital stay, especially an unexpected one, can be
a time of great stress. It’s bad enough that you are not
feeling well and are stuck in this strange place rather
than at home, where you are comfortable. On top of
that is the vulnerability you or your family experience
by not being sure of the outcome of this episode.
Unfamiliarity with the health care staff, who are
(hopefully) attending to your needs, creates another
layer of anxiety. It’s confusing to even know “who’s who.” Is
this person entering the room a PA? Intern? Resident? Nurse?
Doctor? Mickey Mouse? (If you see Mickey Mouse, you may
need an adjustment to your medications.) Even when you feel
you are receiving excellent treatment, it is obvious you are not
the only patient your doctor or nurse needs to tend to, and
understaffing can be a problem.
And, by the way, there is one more thing that may add to
your discomfort: You won’t be seeing your own regular
internist or GP any more. Even if your internist, whom you
trust and with whom you have a relationship, has hospital
“privileges,” he or she will not be examining you or visiting
while you are hospitalized. Oh, where is Marcus Welby when
we need him?
The beloved, all-knowing fictional TV physician is long
gone, along with his show. It’s not that your doctor doesn’t
care about you. He or she does. It’s just that our health care
34 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
