Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog

Shameful behavior, truly.

BTW, where do I report patients who swear at me?
 

I can deal with patients swearing at me, I'd like to report the ones who physically assault me, and the ones who are too intoxicated to stand up but drove to the hospital. If you were an alien from another planet you'd think you have to be drunk before you can come to an ER.
 

What a bunch of whining.
Do these posts really speak for the medical profession?

S.
 

Reporting a physician who used offensive speech is OK, but complaining that one was physically assaulted by a patient is whining?
 

"What a bunch of whining.
Do these posts really speak for the medical profession?"

What do you do far a living? Do your customers show up at your workplace drunk and physically assault your employees? Mine Do. I'm an ER doc.
 

Many people must deal with difficult, drunk, drugged people: teachers, social workers, cops. The only difference between them and ER docs is that docs can more easily change their profession. If ER docs cannot maintain professional demeanor at all times, they should consider changing their specialty--or entering other professions, like science teacher or lab technician.
 

Anon 1132

I am not sure how a post on the behavior of a clinic doctor in Canada turned into a discussion of ER doc -- but I would challenge you to find a story anywhere of an ER doc that unjustifiably "lost his cool" -- and if so was not fired, removed from contract, or otherwise disciplined. 15 years in the business and I am personally aware of one instance in which an ER doc unjustifiably "lost his cool" The doctor was immediately fired and placed on probation by the state medical board. Since ER docs practice soley in a "hospital based" setting there is much higher scrutiny of behavior by a hospital administration than physicians running practice from their own clinic. The ER docs I know have the patience of Job, the longsuffering of a saint, and skin as thick as a giant redwood.
 

if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen--stop whining and stop comparing yourselves to saints for simply doing what a lot of people in our society do--without the compensation or prestige
 

Isn't whining speech protected by the First Amendment?
 

Isn't whining speech protected by the First Amendment?

Yes, unless you are a physician, then your speech is regulated.
 

It's called venting...in real life everyone does it...if you don't want to read doctors venting maybe you should be looking at porno sites or something instead of a medical blog site?
 

"if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen--stop whining and stop comparing yourselves to saints"

A nurse where I work had the shit kicked out of her by a drunk patient...a resident in California was shot to death at his job, is that OK since they're just doing what everybody else does?
 

About this "Anonymous" who thinks you doctors are all whiners: You should all hope you never have him/her as a patient. Sounds like a loose cannon, to me.
 

if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen--

anon 143,

i wrote the post you are writing about. I am not a physician, but a charge nurse. But hey, whatever you do I hope carries more "prestige" and "compensation"
 

Vicki,

He/she definately would need a rectal exam. After all, that is positively indicated to keep plaintiff lawyers away. Prostate and rectal masses, cauda equina syndrome, and occult blood absolutely need to be ruled out.
 

He/she definately would need a rectal exam. After all, that is positively indicated to keep plaintiff lawyers away.

Hehehe. Perhaps this could be followed by a scintillating lecture from Dr. Elliot about the evils of doctors (other than himself, of course) and the wonders of ambulance chasers and plaintiff's "expert" witnesses.
 

I'm so glad I ran across this post! I actually had this physician when he was working in Toronto and he was the only physician from whose office I have left in tears due to his behaviour. Because he was The Doctor, and at the time I didn't know better, I ended up running out of his office and never going back. I eventually found a caring physician who was able to treat me for my condition, which his treatment had actually made worse. I never knew until now what happened to this man. I finally feel vindicated that it was not "my fault" that he treated me so abusively. I finally have closure. thank you for pointing out this article.
 

"I finally feel vindicated that it was not "my fault" that he treated me so abusively. I finally have closure. "

How reassuring. Now you can move on.
 

Must you always defend the doctors, no matter what? Yes there are great doctors out there, and yes they often have to deal with rude people, but there are bad doctors as well. This is true about every profession - do you think doctors can do no wront? Every post in here seem to defend the doctor, even though it wasn't an emergency room but an office and the doctor at least based on the reports was clearly out of line. Yes, we haven't heard his side of the story, so we can only judge by what was reported, but this is true about every news story.
And no, you cannot report patients that swear at you, much as any professional cannot report a customer that swears at him/her. You have a right to suggest that they find another doctor, don't you? In every profession, people have to deal with rudeness and swearing. In every profession, dealing with customers requires being polite and professional no matter what. For example, every person in tech support for IBM or Dell or any other company, can tell you stories about people who call shouting, blame the support person for what ends up to be their own errors or stupidity. Yet an employee - who by the way often works nights and weekends - is supposed to stay professional and polite or he can be fired. Same here. You are at work so you have to behave professionally; the patient is not at work. Just a humble opinion.
 

Yet an employee - who by the way often works nights and weekends - is supposed to stay professional and polite or he can be fired. Same here.

You are correct. An employee can be fired. Lot's of people in lots of businesses deal with rude people. And consumers experience rude people in all service businesses, such as restaurants, customer service, etc. Yes - they can be fired from their job. But nothing - nothing - short of incarceration prevents these people from getting hired somewhere else.

If you are a physician, though, you can be disciplined and have your license removed for using offensive speech. Can't work without a license.
 

If you are a physician, though, you can be disciplined and have your license removed for using offensive speech. Can't work without a license.
As an author of the post you are quoting, I'd agree that you have a point here. I'd also agree that is rudeness should not be grounds for loosing a license. The latter should be reserved for something really serious. I am wondering though - can you call the police if the patient physically assaults you?
 

can you call the police if the patient physically assaults you?

Absolutely.
 

"can you call the police if the patient physically assaults you?"

Answers I've gotten: "Whatta ya want he was drunk!!"

"Whatta ya expect, he's a psych patient"

We used to say: "take one for the team" ie let yourself get hit by a violent patient as a way to get his ass out of the ER, ie arrested. Then one of my colleagues had her shoulder dislocated by a drunk. Cops showed up, refused to arrest the drunk.
 

"Must you always defend the doctors, no matter what?"
Yes, we have to defend each other and stick together, who else is going to support us? The politicians? The insurance companies? The sharks?
 

"If you are a physician, though, you can be disciplined and have your license removed for using offensive speech. Can't work without a license."

When has that happened?
 

CJD,

My states monthly report from the state medical board will have about 30 or so physicians listed with restricted or suspended licenses. Don't know if any are strictly for language, but a good portion listed are for "unprofessional conduct"
 

When has that happened?

The case above, Dr. Bennett (probably), etc., etc.
 

"My states monthly report from the state medical board will have about 30 or so physicians listed with restricted or suspended licenses."

Are these monthly reports, from the medical boards, available for public viewing? Or, are they just sent to physicians?
--dag--
 

In my state this is open info to the public. Can't speak for the other 49 states.
 

It is public info in my state.
 

In my state most of the unprofessional conduct restrictions involve sexual misconduct, usually a female patient accusing a male doctor of inappropriate behavior. I get a chaperone even if i'm examining a female's teeth!
 

In order to be found guilty of sexual misconduct there has to be A LOT of proof. Hotel receipts, recorded conversations, photographs, etc. If none of that exists the doc will get off. If you see a physician who has been found guilty of sexual misconduct you can rest assured that there was evidence. Either he admitted it, or they had something on him. 80% of physicians (in my state anyway) that get called before the Board for whatever reason get their cases dismissed (according to the Medical Board's own data) - so if you see a physician found guilty of sexual misconduct there's an extremely high probibility he did it.
 

The medical profession is respected and your GP trusted with giving the appropirate care and compassion. Dr. Rathe is being investigated on a number of accounts to serious allegations of mis-treatment. Stay tuned to "Dr. Rathe exposed".
 

Why are medical people held to such different standards? What would happen if you walked in and assaulted your car mechanic? Or the cashier at the grocery store?

Well that's just an outrageous question isn't it? No one would be stupid enough to kick their car mechanic in the chest, chip his tooth, spit in his face, or bite his fingers.............or would they?
 

I know Rathe personally...my husband is an MD (ER doc). Rathe assaults people verbally and physically because he has a god complex or if his patients don't use the pharmacy on his premises. He gets cash kickbacks. The seniors in the community are on medications they don't need because he gets kickbacks. Check out his latest road rage incident (he has even paid off some of his friends to testify for him). Hey...this guy is certifiable! You docs don't need this guy in your profession.
(know him close and personal and hate him)
 

I know Rathe very well...being married to an MD. Rathe assaults people verbally and physically because he has a god complex or if his patients don't use the pharmacy on his premises. He gets cash kickbacks. The seniors in the community are on medications they don't need because he gets kickbacks. Check out his latest road rage incident (he has even paid off some of his friends to testify for him). Hey...this guy is certifiable! You docs don't need this guy in your profession.
(know him close and personal and hate him)
 

Dr. Rathe is a a stand up guy, friendly, attentive and generous. He performs many charity functions for Women,s shelters. The venom I see in the above posts is fictitious and it has a vindictive tone. No doubt written by a wife that gets no sex. Please pharmacy kickbacks? Witness payoffs? I think she watches too much Law and Order. How many crackpots are allowed to post here without a background psych checkup? Doctors have problems like the rest of the population. Surprise, Surprise!! They are human beings that need prayer and support. For all you haters out there, please inspect your own lives.