Getting compliments from patients can be funny. I like to get compliments, don't we all, but in my heart, I know that most of the time, these praises are unearned. I didn't do anything marvelous or spectacular. I did the doctor equivalent of a teeth cleaning, and for that, the patient is singing my praises to everyone they know. It's not earned. I'd rather get praise that I earned.
Lot of patients don't have good relationships with their doctors, for whatever reason. Sometimes, it's the patient having unrealistic expectations or demands. Sometimes it's the doctor not communicating well or not providing good care. Sometimes, it's just personalities not harmonizing. There are lots of reasons that a patient and a physician don't end up on the same page.
For this patient, I did nothing. I was assuming care for the person after their previous physician left the area. We talked about his medical issues and medications, about the clinic policies and my own personal policies, and then I did my exam. He was so shocked at how thorough my physical exam was (it was actually pretty cursory and mediocre), how detailed my history-taking was, and how well I explained what was happening next. He thanked me, and proceeded to sing my praises to my staff and then to his wife in the waiting room. But the reality was that the care I delivered was perfectly mediocre. It was dinner at Applebee's.
My MA was surprised. "What did you do in there?"
My reply: "When all you’ve ever known is crayons, then a pencil is gonna seem pretty awesome."
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