Comments on: The doctor who treats himself has a fool for a patient http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/doctor-who-treats-himself-has-fool-for.html medical blog Sat, 20 Mar 2010 13:46:09 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Lily http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/doctor-who-treats-himself-has-fool-for.html/comment-page-1#comment-89133 Lily Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:45:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/03/the-doctor-who-treats-himself-has-a-fool-for-a-patient.html#comment-89133 DTC ads now let Joe Schmoe choose his own meds too. Take for example Caduet. It has two ingredients. One is Amlodipine and the other is Atorvastatin. With my RxDrugCard I can get 30 tablets of Amlodipine for $9 and 30 tablets of Simvastatin for $9. I’ll bet they are charging more than $18 for this new drug! DTC ads now let Joe Schmoe choose his own meds too. Take for example Caduet. It has two ingredients. One is Amlodipine and the other is Atorvastatin. With my RxDrugCard I can get 30 tablets of Amlodipine for $9 and 30 tablets of Simvastatin for $9. I’ll bet they are charging more than $18 for this new drug!

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/doctor-who-treats-himself-has-fool-for.html/comment-page-1#comment-73006 Anonymous Mon, 19 Mar 2007 12:04:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/03/the-doctor-who-treats-himself-has-a-fool-for-a-patient.html#comment-73006 In my practice of psychiatry, nearly every doctor who comes in has attempted self-prescribing first (usually out of the sample cabinet).<br/><br/>This is a bad idea because the organ that exercises judgement and self-perception, the brain, is the one affected. It is also the one he uses to practice medicine with and care should be taken with it. <br/><br/>I understand it, especially given the problems with access, and with fear about privacy, but it is a bad idea. Some medical boards unfortunately indirectly encourage self-treatment by being too intrusive about liscensees psychiatric treatment history. The ones they need to worry about are the ones who will not seek formal treatment and will not answer the boards questions honestly anyway, so they may as well not ask--and in not asking would leave people feeling less inhibited about seeking help.<br/><br/>On the other hand, if a guy wants to treat treat his own sinusitus or eczema, why should the board care? Does he have a fool for a patient? Maybe, but who else is put at risk? The basic requirement of a free society is that people be allowed to screw up as long as they aren't hurting other people. In my practice of psychiatry, nearly every doctor who comes in has attempted self-prescribing first (usually out of the sample cabinet).

This is a bad idea because the organ that exercises judgement and self-perception, the brain, is the one affected. It is also the one he uses to practice medicine with and care should be taken with it.

I understand it, especially given the problems with access, and with fear about privacy, but it is a bad idea. Some medical boards unfortunately indirectly encourage self-treatment by being too intrusive about liscensees psychiatric treatment history. The ones they need to worry about are the ones who will not seek formal treatment and will not answer the boards questions honestly anyway, so they may as well not ask–and in not asking would leave people feeling less inhibited about seeking help.

On the other hand, if a guy wants to treat treat his own sinusitus or eczema, why should the board care? Does he have a fool for a patient? Maybe, but who else is put at risk? The basic requirement of a free society is that people be allowed to screw up as long as they aren’t hurting other people.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/doctor-who-treats-himself-has-fool-for.html/comment-page-1#comment-72951 Anonymous Sat, 17 Mar 2007 03:02:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/03/the-doctor-who-treats-himself-has-a-fool-for-a-patient.html#comment-72951 Go to the office to get the prescription. Maybe they'll see you after the drug reps leave. Until then, you can just amuse yourself in the waiting room by reading year-old copies of Newsweek. Go to the office to get the prescription. Maybe they’ll see you after the drug reps leave. Until then, you can just amuse yourself in the waiting room by reading year-old copies of Newsweek.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/doctor-who-treats-himself-has-fool-for.html/comment-page-1#comment-72941 Anonymous Fri, 16 Mar 2007 21:57:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/03/the-doctor-who-treats-himself-has-a-fool-for-a-patient.html#comment-72941 Now you know what the patients have to deal with.<br/><br/>At least you can write your own script; the rest of us lowly schlubs are just forced to put up with the frustation. Now you know what the patients have to deal with.

At least you can write your own script; the rest of us lowly schlubs are just forced to put up with the frustation.

]]> By: Couz http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/doctor-who-treats-himself-has-fool-for.html/comment-page-1#comment-72927 Couz Fri, 16 Mar 2007 14:47:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/03/the-doctor-who-treats-himself-has-a-fool-for-a-patient.html#comment-72927 Since I've spent the past four days (including 10 phone calls and two trips to the pharmacy) trying to get my hands on a very straightforward prescription refill from my family doctor's office, I can see why.<br/><br/>Next time I'm just going to write myself the damn script. I don't have this kind of time to waste. Since I’ve spent the past four days (including 10 phone calls and two trips to the pharmacy) trying to get my hands on a very straightforward prescription refill from my family doctor’s office, I can see why.

Next time I’m just going to write myself the damn script. I don’t have this kind of time to waste.

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