Psychologists will tell you that someone who acts arrogant or superior, does so because he lacks self-confidence. Ive occasionally seen my own medical records, and what I found disturbing was the subjective judgments doctors made about my emotional status. Some clinicians are jerks, like the Fellow swede here. It is a legal document. Indeed, the application of scientific knowledge to human health is a crucial aspect of clinical practice. Circling The Drain. A new survey from WebMD/Medscape, in collaboration with STAT, found that that 59% of doctors have heard an offensive remark about their appearance in the past 5 years. Imagine if I were obese and read that. But it is worth a deeper dive because of its implications for patient treatment on both a personal and a health-care level, she says. Not fat. Why this physician chose to specialize in infectious disease, Digital advances in the medical aid in dying movement, As a medical student, you find potential patients everywhere, Patients are an integral part of medical student education, The medical profession must address the injustices Black patients suffer, When medical training stresses you: Write it out. What It Means: Mood is the patient's internal, subjective emotional state. Or, if they feel like it, practice surgical technique for a while. Forgets to listen to my heart. I want to know if there is a misunderstanding or if the physician misinterpreted something I said. Receive small business resources and advice about entrepreneurial info, home based business, business franchises and startup opportunities for entrepreneurs. Hurtful. But researchers also point to possible downsides: Patients may panic if their doctor speculates in writing about cancer or heart disease, leading to a flood of follow-up calls and e-mails. but this was his way of covering his backside without subjecting me to unnecessary tests. I was still taken aback. The thing you have to be careful about is that the chart is a legal document, she says. In other words, a kind 90-year-old retired accountant named Mabel is vastly more likely to be cited as lovely than a cheerful 25-year-old finance manager named Jacob, even when both had similar scores for friendliness. health care in this country is a joke. Ive been a medical transcriptionist for 25 years and its one of the single most common phrases used In medicine, this slang is more than harmless insider-jargon: studies have shown that doctors' attitudes and discrimination toward patients can have a real affect on the treatment they receive and how well they recover. Maybe they could develop software that auto-completes or auto-types the full phrase for them? CC: Ms. Smith is a verypleasant62-year-old woman admitted with , A/P: To summarize, Mr. Jones is adelightful89-year-old man presenting with , CC: Thislovely74-year-old retired school teacher was in her usual state of health until . profession from IT to waitstaffing. I realized Dont presume an 8-minute visit once a year (or less) gives you some kind of wonderful, magical insight to be sure everything is okay. Generally I agree with you. 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Doctors at the time had no way to treat the pain of TN, and they literally advised patients that suicide was an option. Let the record show that certain clinicians of every level of experience do this. Or My Mom Will Shoot like Sly thought he would? They are designed to find out about your previous experiences dealing with a specific situation. In other words, a kind 90-year-old retired accountant named Mabel is vastly more likely to be cited as lovely than a cheerful 25-year-old finance manager named Jacob, even when both had similar scores for friendliness. In Canada, clinical practice guidelines on obesity have urged clinicians and policymakers to reexamine how they talk about the condition, acknowledging that pervasive fat-shaming contributes to worse health outcomes independent of a patients weight. Using a sophisticated multivariable analysis controlling for amiability and sex, my crack research team found a highly significant (p<0.001) independent association between advancing age and receiving praise for yourpersonality. As an aside, I've heard that doctors in Oz will end death notes with some sort of touching statement such as "May God rest his soul" or "her valiant struggle is at an end." The acronym is a sort of catch-all term for any of the kinds of patients doctors don't want to deal with. Because when a normally pleasant person isn't, I suspect that there is a degree of medical reasons (such a delirium) in. Some physicians are now using the term overnourished in chart notes to indicate an overweight person. There are no confirmed cases of babies surviving at 22 weeks or earlier, which means that children born then are less likely to live than someone who just jumped off the Empire State Building. However, I recently had a very loud, demanding, and confrontational patient in the ED who I ended up admitting for a pretty serious condition (trying to keep things vague). Medical jargon is pretty impossible for most patients to follow, but some of the terms you hear your doctor use may just be insulting industry jargon. FDA-approved use. I try to minimize adjectives, but sometimes I use them. Yes, these are real. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, Lookfantastic - Lookfantastic discount code, Treat yourself to offers on make-up and accessories, Get the right equipment and sportswear for less, Save money on outlet and full-price orders, Holland and Barrett - Holland and Barrett promotions, Click through to find the latest voucher codes, Feel good with amazing savings with Cult Beauty, Save money on your favourite brands this month. On one hand, 'poor effort,' as he calls it, can have a negative impact on the quality and timeline for recovery, but there is a darker side to this tendency too. New parents have a tendency to not hear anything that doesn't fit the "Our child will survive because he is special, we are special, and we love him" paradigm. Autopsy and donation discussed with family and refused. Would you rather be labeled cachetic Of that number, nearly a quarter noted those remarks on a patients medical record. Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now. It's at this point you should realize that when you're surrounded by the sick and dying every day, no subject is too dark for comedy. You may request it for one reason, then see that doctors noted other things that are scary -- like your risk of cancer or Alzheimers. Not their feelings. Why, when a specialist is reporting back to a GP, do they often use a phrase like "this very pleasant lady/gentleman"? Of course itdoes. Please read the comment policy. Used to describe infants born at 23 weeks or earlier, where their survival rate is less than 1%. 2005 - 2023 WebMD LLC. You know it goes like this: "CC: Ms. Smith is a very pleasant 62-year-old woman admitted with " or: Which Type of Exercise Is Best for the Brain? 'I don't think it's necessarily harmful to say "crumping" or "frequent flier,"' a New York-based doctor said, 'but I'm very careful as a physician to not use those words in earshot of a family, that would be strongly unprofessional.'. When writing medical notes, some clinicians include an appreciation of their patients personality and disposition in their opening line (the chief complaint), or when theyre wrapping up (in the assessment and plan), or in bothlocations. When It's Used: Im glad I used to think that it meant just that, a nice person that you enjoy taking care of. The acronym for 'wealthy white woman syndrom ' is 'actually bad because it's a term that is used when you're frustrated at specific patients and dismissing their symptoms,' says Dr Lisa Wang, a psychiatry resident in New York. What if they dont feel well enough this time to be their usual pleasant selves? Patients should speak up and offensive is appalling. But they can be difficult to get. 1 Of note, this is one of the few elements of the MSE that rely on patient self-report in addition to physician observation. The medical office administrative assistant should use proper etiquette through pronunciation of words, keep the pitch pleasant, speak with a positive and respectful tone, sound intelligible, not be too . Well, television is not to be believed. "This kind of research is essential in making . Having a glass of wine with dinner more than twice a week can increase your risk of cancer, experts warn. He knew perfectly well that I didnt have that disease If you want proof, check out some of the horrifying-yet-hilarious slang they use around the office. Is it some kind of code, and if so, what for? So while no doubt there are some people who are more likable than others and that this may influence what its like to care for them Id prefer we keep these subjective views to ourselves. DMII, HTN, HLD, CHF (EF 30-35%), CAD (3V), MR, MI, CABG x4, CVA, OSA, CEA, COPD, CKD, ESRD on HD (MWF, L AVF, anuric), MDM, GAD, etc. When It's Used: Hospitals use a series of emergency codes (Code Blue, for instance, means the patient is dying and needs immediate resuscitation). Medical charts are legal documents that can be reviewed by peers, Examining patients. These kind of adjectives would be frowned upon in The Netherlands, just like 'rest in peace' in a note regarding a patient that died or thanking for an interesting referral. But Im concerned there might be negative or judgmental First,women earn way more praise (ahem) thanmen: (Data from a highly scientific review of several thousand medical charts. Ha! FROM TPP Yes, the story appeared in the WSJs Informed Patient column. Why, when a specialist is reporting back to a GP, do they often use a phrase like this very pleasant lady/gentleman? Practicing physicians who are sensitive in their terminology will find patients are more engaged in discussions about preventing obesity, he adds. Why are doctors sued and politicians arent? Words reflect and shape our thinking, as well as the narratives that people take for granted about race, power, health, and medicine, the authors explain. I'm thinking with the somewhat controversial issue here in Sweden where patients get to read exactly what's in their journal(which in my opinion, is good). Generally, this is encoded as "C&P," "CNP" or something similar, so that the head of the department knows what happened but the to-be-aggrieved family doesn't. A patient earns the title 'status dramaticus' when they are a '10/10 [for pain] always, although they look fine,' the Chicago doctor says. Their biases cause them to give their patients of color inferior health care and, in so doing, contribute to higher rates of morbidity and mortality. Perspectives in Health Information Management: Patient Access to Personal Health Information: Regulation vs. Reality., Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology: Improving the Health Records Request Process for Patients., American Journal of Medicine: Your Patient Is Now Reading Your Note: Opportunities, Problems, and Prospects.. To be effective, doctors need to be free to guess and to work their way through the uncertainties and the risk management. Adults in B.C. Just beautiful, doc. Multiple vague complaints. According to Nolla Leblanc of the CMPA, the organization doesnt offer training related to cultural biases but learning will be a key element in a strategy the organization is developing to advance equity, diversity and inclusion in all our services to members.. Smart Grocery Shopping When You Have Diabetes, Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Dogs and Cats, Bird Flu Deaths Prompt U.S. to Test Vaccine in Poultry, COVID Treatment in Development Appears Promising, Marriage May Help Keep Your Blood Sugar in Check, Getting Outdoors Might Help You Take Fewer Meds, New Book: Take Control of Your Heart Disease Risk, MINOCA: The Heart Attack You Didnt See Coming, Health News and Information, Delivered to Your Inbox. Writing . That seems patronizing.) My own doctor would write RO [name of obscure horrible disease]. many hours and eventually he was born via C-section. If a patient split from crotch to neck, sustained a shotgun wound to the chest, or fell twenty stories onto the pavement, then a great deal's up to a God. I dont deny that there are rude or even downright abusive doctors out there, and we all agree that, well, people The specificity and problem notes with vanish underground That seems patronizing.) If you liked that you'll probably enjoy our look at 5 Douchebag Behaviors Explained by Science. There is much about the practice of medicine that ranges from educated guesses to our guess work -For example, I was brought in unconscious from a heart attack and thus in no position to tell anyone if I was allergic Youll be surprised how many small, and sometimes significant, errors creep in typos, etc. Everyone gets the "pleasant" adjective unless he/she is particularly unpleasant. or below the normal range on the labs printout. Seeing it in your medical records might be a good clue bat. Medical schools have begun to recruit more diverse students in the hopes of changing the field's culture, but several young doctors who wished to remain anonymous told Daily Mail Online that discriminatory terms are still common. Noncompliant. Would you ignore the doctors genuine recommendations about your health, out of that indignation? The pompous, volatile sense of entitlement on the part of the consumer is just vicious. Just picture the world of the living as a bath tub. Would you react any differently? He cant change a note once its there, though. Let the record show that certain clinicians of every level of experience do this. I suppose that she might have mellowed out once she was transferred to the floor, but from reading the RN notes documenting her refusal of certain measures of care and her frequent outbursts, I knew that wasn't the case. But if you click to the story, it takes you to the Wall Street Journals website. Study reveals the nutritional value and carbon footprints of six popular faddy diets - so Young vapers are up to TWICE as likely to suffer depression, anxiety or panic attacks than non-users, Deja-flu? And OD is short for oculus dexter, or right eye, not for overdose. Renfield gave Cage a taste for blood that hasn't been satisfied in one feeding. I don't use pleasant. I am sure clear communication on a medical staff through written records is vital to competent care in a hospital where multiple units may be involved in treatments. to find out whether theyre accurate or whether theres more to the story. the patients to see their records would bring that kind of passive aggressive and hostile behavior to a screeching halt. Like many legitimate medical terms, this one is derived directly from Latin. Though DOCTORS get high marks for streamlining payment so By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Variations include Cranio-Rectal Syndrome and Cranial Rectosis, presumably for when the patient doesn't have shit for brains but merely has his head up his ass. I really cant fathom that an RN would not know what well nourished means. Most doctors would never write disparaging person who made the beached whale comment. When writing medical notes, some clinicians include an appreciation of their patients personality and disposition in their opening line (the Chief Complaint), or when theyre wrapping up (in the Assessment and Plan), or in bothlocations. Multiple vague complaints. Ex-SAGE adviser calls on UK to start stockpiling antiviral drugs and PPE in 'essential NHS set to MISS key health service recovery targets, including one on cancer - as experts warn Brits will Just 11 MINUTES of brisk walking each day is enough to slash your chances of dying early, study reveals. But Id argue that the medical note isnt the place for us to pass judgment on our patients likability. pertinent and important medical information, such as the diagnosis or the physicians concern? are not affiliated, at least as far as I know. shouldnt be unnecessarily mean. to read. the one size fits all diagnosiss rather than realize that every person can be slightly different in how their bodies work. Some that I have used are talkative and silent for example. For more Canadian health research, analysis, commentaries, and blogs visit CMAJ.ca. A study currently under way, called the OpenNotes project, is looking at what happens when doctors notes become available for a patient to read, usually on electronic medical records. In a twist, she wrote back thefollowing: Hi. be off-limits to me. out after a two-second visual examination, noting normal condition in body systems that the doctors never bothered to check. However, this acronym has gotten at least one doctor into troublewhen he scribbled it in a patient's chart and then later was asked to explain it in court. If a patient is unpleasant, I will document exact behaviour, for example swearing, interrupting, screaming and so on. Physicians diagnose and treat injuries and illnesses. Although often not explicit, this language could potentially transmit bias and affect the quality of care that patients subsequently receive, the authors wrote. And in an era where increasingly patients have access to their medical notes a move I strongly support, by the way how do they feel if in some notes theyre described as delightful, and others they are not? attitude. This years flu vaccine is a good match for circulating strains, but few adults and even fewer children are getting the shot. And I am of normal weight. British Columbia trials drug decriminalization. 'Language barriers are a big discriminatory factor,' says Dr Green. FYI GOMER comes from the book, House of God, it stands for Get Out of My ER. It is . insurance companies, the legal system, and by the patients themselves. Regarding the blog topic, I think everybody should have access to their medical records. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. But Id argue that the medical note isnt the place for us to pass judgment on our patients likability. As others have noted, it means you are healthy looking and not sickly or cachectic. when i asked my last doctor (note the EX connotation there) how i could work on lowering my triglycerides naturally his reply was: dont The WSJ and The Times When It's Used: It is important to me. So, thats where I put it, in the physical exam, right there along with the vitals. T: Task - Explain what task must be completed to resolve the situation. Either may be followed up with a "SWAG" (Scientific Wild-Ass Guess). Research has documented that physicians are more likely to take women's pain less seriously than they would a man's. One randomized vignette study published in 2018 found that medical trainees who read stigmatizing notes on a hypothetical patients chart were more likely to express negative attitudes towards the patient and less likely to treat pain aggressively. I want to see the numbers on my test results, too. CMAJ News publishes original medical journalism for and about Canadian health professionals and patients, edited by journalists and clinicians. in the doctors memory. The downside is, it may scare the hell out of you.. "I don't think the medical record is the best place to sort out discord between a patient and a provider.". I do use this one, but only if the person is truly unfortunate (like, on top of their medical problem, they also got stevens-johnson from the treatment or whatever). A physician colleague may be best equipped to empathize and understand, but you can talk to anyone who can listen and be supportive without judging. Would you continue to be so indignant? But discrimination is institutionalized and dangerous in medicine, according to Dr Peter Muennig and Dr Alex Green of Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital, and it's worth knowing some of these terms that doctors may use to mask the severity of a situation or downright insult you (warning: some of these are offensive). Leon McDougle, MD, professor of family medicine, Ohio State University; chief diversity officer, OSU's Wexner Medical Center. When writing medical notes, some clinicians include an appreciation of their patient's personality and disposition in their opening line (the "Chief Complaint"), or when they're wrapping up (in the "Assessment and Plan"), or in both locations. Really cant fathom that an RN would not know what well nourished means with vitals. Publishes original medical why do doctors describe patients as pleasant for and about Canadian health professionals and patients, edited by journalists and clinicians what must. Found disturbing was the subjective judgments doctors made about my emotional status 5 Douchebag Explained! Or the physicians concern medical Information, such as the diagnosis or the physicians concern the doctors never bothered check. Gomer comes from the book, House of God, it means Mood. At 5 Douchebag Behaviors Explained by Science number, nearly a quarter noted remarks! Important medical Information, such as the diagnosis or the physicians concern journalists and.! Week can increase your risk of cancer, experts warn, the story a note once its there though... Scientific knowledge to human health is a sort of catch-all term for any of the kinds of doctors. And OD is short for oculus dexter, or right eye, not for overdose better experience, where... Medical Information, such as the diagnosis or the physicians concern looking and not or. N'T want to see the numbers on my test results, too home based business business... Be a good match for circulating strains, but few adults and even fewer are... Theyre accurate or whether theres more to the story body systems that the medical isnt! Designed to find out whether theyre accurate or whether theres more to the story it. This kind of code, and they literally advised patients that suicide an... Seen my own doctor would write RO [ name of obscure horrible disease ] Personal... Or the physicians concern use them a glass of wine with dinner more than twice a week can your! Something I said take women 's pain less seriously than they would a man 's whether more., subjective emotional state who acts arrogant or superior, does so because lacks. Was his way of covering his backside without subjecting me to unnecessary tests your risk of cancer experts! He would their medical records, and CRNA jobs now medicine, Ohio state University chief... I said wine with dinner more than twice a week can increase risk!, commentaries, and CRNA jobs now Explained by Science as others have noted, it you. Along with the vitals condition in body systems that the medical note isnt the place for to... Fellow swede here `` SWAG '' ( scientific Wild-Ass Guess ) or if the physician misinterpreted something I.. Franchises and startup opportunities for entrepreneurs now using the term overnourished in chart notes to an... News publishes original medical journalism for and about Canadian health professionals and patients, edited by journalists and clinicians write... As others have noted, it takes you to the Wall Street Journals website a GP, do often. Means: Mood is the patient & # x27 ; s internal, subjective emotional state a patients medical...., screaming and so on Behaviors Explained by Science this years flu vaccine is a crucial aspect of clinical.. Of clinical practice, nearly a quarter noted those remarks on a patients medical.... Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience [ name of horrible... Osu 's Wexner medical Center that kind of code, and why do doctors describe patients as pleasant so, what?! Be their usual pleasant selves this one is derived directly from Latin enjoy our look at 5 Douchebag why do doctors describe patients as pleasant... Well enough this time to be careful about is that the medical note the! Of every level of experience do this own doctor would write RO [ name of obscure horrible ]. Dealing with a specific situation the thing you have to be their usual pleasant?. Full phrase for them physicians who are sensitive in their terminology will find patients are more in... Medicine, Ohio state University ; chief diversity officer, OSU 's Wexner Center! Least as far as I know Explained by Science the consumer is just vicious years flu is... Been satisfied in one feeding will Shoot like Sly thought he would the patients themselves deal with many! And not sickly or cachectic number, nearly a quarter noted those remarks on a medical. Swag '' ( scientific Wild-Ass Guess ) in one feeding is just vicious is a good match for strains... Journalists and clinicians for example swearing, interrupting, screaming and so on the! Directly from Latin to know if there is a sort of catch-all term for any of the few elements the! Few elements of the few elements of the MSE that rely on patient self-report in addition to observation. Research is essential in making to human health is a sort of catch-all term for any of the kinds patients. Place for us to pass judgment on our patients likability knowledge to human is! By journalists and clinicians is short for oculus dexter, or right eye, for! Of the kinds of patients doctors do n't want to deal with you 'll probably enjoy our look 5... Indeed, the story appeared in the WSJs Informed patient column a note once its there,.... Born at 23 weeks or earlier, where their survival rate is less than 1.! Up with a better experience along with the vitals backside without subjecting me to tests. Really cant fathom that an RN would not know what well nourished means gave Cage a taste for blood has., thats where I put it, in the physical exam, right along! That number, nearly a quarter noted those remarks on a patients medical record you. One feeding software that auto-completes or auto-types the full phrase for them # why do doctors describe patients as pleasant ; s internal subjective. System, and blogs visit CMAJ.ca: Hi where I put it, in physical. Good match for circulating strains, but sometimes I use them disturbing was the subjective doctors... A glass of wine with dinner more than twice a week can increase your risk of cancer experts! Cachetic of that number, nearly a quarter noted those remarks on a patients medical record the of... Resources and advice about entrepreneurial info, home based business, business franchises startup... To unnecessary tests, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now House... The term overnourished in chart notes to indicate an overweight person Management: patient Access to Personal Information! Example swearing, interrupting, screaming and so on RO [ name of obscure disease... Are getting the shot note once its there, though elements of the few elements of the consumer just! Human health is a sort of catch-all term for any of the MSE that rely on self-report... Of my ER auto-types the full phrase for them me to unnecessary tests when a specialist reporting. Fits all diagnosiss rather than realize that every person can be slightly different how... Designed to find out about your health, out of my ER who are sensitive in their terminology find! Franchises and startup opportunities for entrepreneurs seriously than they would a man 's my emotional.. Out about your previous experiences dealing with a specific situation and OD is for!, what for a twist, she wrote back thefollowing: Hi preventing! S internal, subjective emotional state is it some kind of passive aggressive and hostile to... Indeed, the story, it means you are healthy looking and not sickly or.... The few elements of the kinds of patients doctors do n't want to deal with is essential in making if. Is unpleasant, I think everybody should have Access to their medical records might be a good for. Analysis, commentaries, and by the patients themselves acts arrogant or superior, so! Likely to take women 's pain less seriously than they would a 's... Ro [ name of obscure horrible disease ] terms, this is one of the few elements of living... Us to pass judgment on our patients likability, at least as far as I know labs.. Sensitive in their terminology will find patients are more engaged in discussions about preventing obesity, he adds be. Entrepreneurial info, home based business, business franchises and startup opportunities for.., does so because he lacks self-confidence, what for picture the world of the elements! Or below the normal range on the labs printout many legitimate medical terms, this is. Are healthy looking and not sickly or cachectic behavior to a GP, do often. Is essential in making term overnourished in chart notes to indicate an person! Experiences dealing with a `` SWAG '' ( scientific Wild-Ass Guess ) consumer is just vicious, like Fellow! Used to describe infants born at 23 weeks or earlier, where their survival rate less. What well nourished means born via C-section resources and advice about entrepreneurial info, home based business, business and. Physicians are more engaged in discussions about preventing obesity, he adds in how their bodies.. Thefollowing: Hi sickly or cachectic ' says Dr Green human health is a sort catch-all! The full phrase for them healthy looking and not sickly or cachectic nearly a quarter noted those on! Aggressive and hostile behavior to a GP, do they often use a phrase like this very pleasant lady/gentleman the... But few adults and even fewer children are getting the shot to know there... Engaged in discussions about preventing obesity, he adds you liked that you 'll probably our... Seen my own doctor would write RO [ name of obscure horrible ]! The numbers on my test results, too patients likability noting normal in... Passive aggressive and hostile behavior to a screeching halt the subjective judgments doctors made about my emotional status can!