I think the world has reached its quota of medical memoirs.If you’ve read one, you’ve read them all.Formulaic stories of quirky patients, crises of conscience, awkward med students coming-of-age and overbearing superiors are all too much for me at this stage of my medical career. So why I might have been drawn to Gabriel Weston’s Direct Red – A Surgeon’s View of Her ... Continue Reading about Direct Red – A Direct Look
When Doctors Think Out Loud
I recently had dry erase boards installed in my office exam rooms.I didn’t give it much thought but felt on a whim that it might help with diagrams and things.As it turns out, the result has been dramatic.Parents are crazy about them. Here’s how I use them: After my history and physical I summarize the 4-5 key points of a child’s story in the upper right part of the ... Continue Reading about When Doctors Think Out Loud
Doctors Reviewed
This got me thinking: Is there something to those online sites that allow patients to review doctors? Do these sites allow real insight or simply provide a forum for those who indiscriminately want to rail on their doctor? I don’t know, but if you look at what people write about their doctors you’ll see marked polarity. There are those who believe their docs walk on ... Continue Reading about Doctors Reviewed
Is Paternalism Ever Okay for Doctors?
So I’m reading comments on my Doctor Delicious post and I see a comment from a reader named Yoyo. Interesting really. Yoyo doesn’t understand why anyone would want a Delicious page for patient information and resources. She just wants to be cared for without knowing every detail. It got me thinking: Is there a role for paternalism in the provider-patient ... Continue Reading about Is Paternalism Ever Okay for Doctors?
Participatory Pediatrics
Pediatrics is changing. There was once a time when parents learned all they needed to know from their doctors. Web 1.0 then created seemingly unlimited access for patients seeking information. We’re now approaching the point where information seeks parents via social networks. What does this mean for pediatricians? The doctor-parent relationship is changing. ... Continue Reading about Participatory Pediatrics
Defining the Doctor-Follower Relationship
Recently I received a friend request from a woman in the community where I practice. I didn’t recognize her so politely sent a message apologizing for not remembering where we had met. She promptly responded and informed me that we had never met but she had read my book. Her baby it seemed was miserable and the wait for an appointment in my clinic was too long for her ... Continue Reading about Defining the Doctor-Follower Relationship