Bad idea: Diagnosing over the phone leads a patient to be hospitalized

I don’t know how they can continue to give medical advice over the phone in the UK. Disaster waiting to happen.

Comments

scalpel
“How can anything be diagnosed over the phone?” the husband asked.
“Why the hell did you bother calling to ask for advice then?” I would ask him.
I’m happy to give anyone advice when they call to ask stupid questions like that. My advice is always the same no matter what the question is: if you are concerned about your problem, we would be happy to see you. Come on in. We are always open.
Anonymous
A few weeks ago a woman called my ER with a question, I happened to pick up the phone: “I just had sex with my Boyfriend. He used a spermicide. Now my vagina is tingling. Do you think I’m allergic to the spermicide?” I gave her the canned answer: “We can’t give medical advice on the phone. If you’re concerned come to the ER”. After she let loose with a slew of obscenities, I told her to thank the lawyers that I can’t answer her sperm questions.
Anonymous
The woman saw her doctor “several times” that week. If the doctor didn’t hospitalize the woman then, what suddenly made her complaints worthy of emergency treatment?
Nothing, apparently.
She fainted 2 days later, was hospitalized, and there still was no diagnosis.
Sounds like a psych case.

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