I have a BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal).I want people to hear "family medicine" and know that it refers to a medical specialty dedicated to providing relationship-based, patient-centered health care.I want people to know that family docs take care of a lot of complicated, challenging diseases - and not usually in isolation. Our patients have high blood pressure, complications from type 2 diabetes, congestive heart failure, depression, chronic kidney disease, ...
Jennifer Middleton, MD
Why is it so difficult for doctors to stay on time?
"I'm sorry."I said that phrase a lot last night during evening patient hours.With an overfilled schedule, I mostly said it to patients who waited twenty, thirty, even forty-five minutes for me to see them. "I'm sorry for your wait. I appreciate your patience." I say these sentences far more often than I should. Why is it so difficult to stay on time?I could blame my inadequate supply of nursing staff; ...
Should doctors be addressed by their first name?
I was sitting next to a resident in the preceptor room yesterday. He was calling a patient to discuss lab results, and introduced himself on the phone by his first name and last name ... but not with "Doctor." (e.g., "Hi, this is John Smith from the Family Health Center.")I occasionally see the residents' patients for urgent visits. When I ask them who their regular PCP is at the office, ...
Your medical career and the waning interest in bridal and baby showers
I think that I am missing a gene from one of my X chromosomes.I attended my sister-in-law's baby shower recently. I love my sister-in-law dearly and was happy to be there to support her. If only I could have supported her in another way.I detest showers. Once I was engaged, I stated clearly to everyone I knew that I did not, under any circumstances, want a bridal shower. Naturally, everyone ...
Kind and thoughtful words from a fellow physician colleague
I was sitting on one of the hospital's nursing units having a difficult telephone conversation. Anyone working nearby could have easily discerned the situation from my end of the call.Patient's family member wants to keep aggressive care going for a comatose, terminally ill family member against the best advice of the medical team.Having never had to make such a decision in my own life, I am left to imagine how ...
