Recently, our local cardiologist called me up. “So, you know that nice guy that we saw recently with the kind of nonspecific chest pain? Well, his stress was positive as it turns out, so I was going to admit him.”
“You were going to?”
“Yeah, I think he needs an angio. He had that nasty MI last year, and he had the CABG, but you know how these things go – it’s no guarantee.”
“Sure. So, what’s going on?
“Well, his daughter is a clinical nurse. SHE thinks it’s GI, and wants him to go home for the weekend. She won’t let me admit him.”
“Uhhhh….???”
“I gave them my opinion, and I think it’s risky, but I scheduled him for an angio next week, and in the end, if he wants to go home, the risk is theirs to take.”
“Wow. Families, huh?”
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A member of my family is currently undergoing something medical and I find myself second – guessing her doctor at every turn.
I am trying desperately to keep my mouth shut (but seriously, any doctor who hasn’t heard that pertussis is on its way back and that adults with infants would do well to get a booster with their tetanus shot seriously needs to do some CME). I really don’t want to be one of those family members.
—–
I still think an experienced physician calling up a family member’s family physician who happens to be a new graduate and trying to intimidate them into showering every neurosurgeon in the country with referrals until they get a response is both unprofessional and uncool. I don’t know what to do about it, but I think the college might be interested to know about it.
