17 Interesting Facts About Doctors & Patients

Posted by Miss Cellania in Medicine on October 15, 2008 at 9:24 am


Here’s a roundup of articles on research done on the doctor-patient relationship and statistics about medical care. Who knew that surgeons are (on average) taller and better-looking than other doctors? Other results cover more important subjects, like misdiagnosis or incorrect medication instructions. Link -Thanks, Karen!

(image credit: interplast)


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COMMENT

13 comments to "17 Interesting Facts About Doctors & Patients"

  1. Matt
    October 15th, 2008 at 9:48 am

    That's why they call it "Practicing Medicine"

  2. Pol x
    October 15th, 2008 at 10:51 am

    "How frequently do doctors misdiagnose patients?"

    My doctor when I was 5 said.

    "He's limping to get attention"

    Same guy when I was 7.

    "It may be soemthing wrong with his brain"

    Same guy when I was 9.

    "See now he's limping on the other leg, I told you it was attention seeking"

    Radiologist when I was 12.

    "He has Perthes disease in BOTH HIPS,he will need to have bilateral hip replacements by abot 40, than again every 10 years.It will also badly damage the knees from disp[lasia of the femur.Shame really for if it had been caught before he was about to hit puberty it can be treated"

    DO NOT like doctors.

  3. Umm...What?
    October 15th, 2008 at 10:55 am

    Why the different statistics?

    50.4% wanted their first names used during greetings, 17.3% preferred their last name and 23.6% favored the physician using both first and last names

    56.4% wanted physicians to introduce themselves using first and last names, 32.5% expected physicians to use their last name, and 7.2% would like physicians to use their first name only

    I do think it is neat that “surgeons are taller and better looking than physicians”.

  4. Vijay
    October 15th, 2008 at 11:34 am

    Nice article.

    13th point, "Seven medical myths even doctors believe"
    is a very interesting collection of myths.

  5. Persephone
    October 15th, 2008 at 2:10 pm

    Pol x: That is so frikkin' typical. I've been dealing with doctors for 14 years now trying to get something done for my back. Finally got a referral to a surgeon, after seeing my GP, a neurologist and a physical medicine doctor, and he was a complete ass. Oh, and he was short and ugly.

  6. su.wei
    October 15th, 2008 at 2:51 pm

    weird! who does these studies?

  7. The Manticore
    October 15th, 2008 at 4:51 pm

    my doctor kept misdiagnosing gallstones as a uti even after I asked for ultrasounds to confirm. HOW on earth do you get pain in your bladder in your upper chest? retards. my grandfather also died from a botched colonoscopy last year. his bowel was perforated 3 times.

  8. valerie
    October 15th, 2008 at 5:06 pm

    let's not get carried away. most doctors do a good job. but I do find one thing very irritating with doctors: they never seem to listen when I am explaining things. maybe they've heard it all before but they could at least not cut me off so often. I know they are busy. but it makes me feel a bit like an idiot.

  9. Athon
    October 16th, 2008 at 12:15 am

    @ Pol X: You have my complete sympathy that you unfortunately stuck with a doctor that was a jerk and incompetent. I just wonder why you stuck with him/her?

    What this article shows is not that doctors are all morons or idiots, but rather that (surprise!) they are human. Some are indeed idiots. Many are operating under woeful work conditions where they can't practice as they'd like (i.e., short consultation periods, little time off for PD etc.), which impacts on their practice. Skills shortages also often mean employing doctors from diverse cultural backgrounds, further contributing to problems.

    As somebody with a pathology background, I can confidently say that most of the 'misdiognoses' aren't what they seem. Given a mix of influences, such as costs of lab tests and impact of medications, many doctors will estimate a diagnosis based on what will do the most good with the least patient cost and least intervention. I'm sure most people don't rush into theatre for an appendectomy the very moment they have a belly ache, for instance.

    Athon

  10. Ali S.
    October 16th, 2008 at 1:50 am

    @ Pol X

    My sympathies. Some doctors are absolutely beyond helpful.

  11. lua
    October 16th, 2008 at 10:23 am

    @Athon. Pol X didn't switch probably because he was too young then to act or realize what was going on.

  12. Athon
    October 16th, 2008 at 6:16 pm

    @lua,

    Yeah, I realised that just after I posted. Although I then wonder why the parents didn't go for a second opinion. While I think we do need to trust the medical profession for its experience up to a point, there's nothing wrong with seeking second opinions. I know if I was told my kid was faking it for attention, I'd trust in my own instincts as to whether they were right or not.

  13. jamshiya
    April 10th, 2009 at 9:46 am

    i would like you to sent me a massage
    that tells me lotts of informations
    about doctors.

    thankyou very much and i hope that you will send me
    the massage

    your sincerely
    jamshiya


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