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You Know It’s Time To Change Doctors When…

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Have you ever thought you need to find a new doctor? Sometimes patients and doctors need to part their ways.  Some doctor-patient relationships are so good that gifts are exchanged.  Some are so bad that the doctor dismisses the patient from their clinic.

What about the patient who isn’t happy with the care they are receiving?  What about the patient who wants to find a new doctor?  Sometimes legitimate reasons exist.  Perhaps the patient and doctor do not agree on the recommended therapies.  When  the patient and doctor do not have the same goals in mind, sometimes it’s best for the patient to find a new doctor that can better work with their needs. Read more »

*This blog post was originally published at The Happy Hospitalist Blog*

Doctor Versus Drug Seeker: Doctor Wins

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My genius partner, RKM, was lately confronted by a patient seeking pain medication.  Due to a very nice system instituted by the state of SC, providers can search for their patients’ prescription histories.  Turns out this individual had received multiple narcotic prescriptions from multiple providers all over the state, and had done it using at least three separate addresses.

Ever the resourceful doc, my partner confronted this patient with the following information:

‘Sir, it appears that you have been the victim of identity theft!  Fortunately, we were able to discover that someone has used your information to obtain narcotics under false pretense!  But rest assured, we have contacted the authorities and we’ll catch the SOB who did this to you!’

He was met, I am told, by wide-eyed, open-mouthed silence.

No prescriptions were dispensed.  Though it is entirely possible the patient will be needing a big bottle of Jim Beam for his nerves, and adult diapers for irritable bowel, for the next several weeks.

Bless you, RKM, for the theatrical, perfectly passive-aggressive genius you are!

Edwin

*This blog post was originally published at edwinleap.com*

A Humorous ER Admission For Marijuana Use

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Whenever drugs are involved in a patient’s admission, the outcome is either craziness or comedy.  Methamphetamines and cocaine seem to be the popular drugs of choice requiring admission. These people are usually angry and agitated.  However, it seems like pot humor always adds a little touch of the unexpected to an otherwise boring admission.

Take for example the 27 year old truck driver who was brought in by his roommate for “acting weird’. What happens when you mix a little marijuana and a little alcohol?  You get Happy’s pot humor post of the day. Read more »

*This blog post was originally published at The Happy Hospitalist Blog*

Orac Needs A Movie Deal. . .

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. . .or a spread in Playgirl.

Huh?

Orac has a nice essay today for your Christmas Eve reading about a USA Today article yesterday by Liz Szabo that called out celebrities for their pseudoscientific proclamations and advice entitled, “Are celebrities crossing the line on medical advice?”

So that’s where I came up with this thought: it would be great if some folks who talked science-based sense became celebrities so they’d at least have the same platform to counter people like Jenny McCarthy. On his comment thread, I suggested that we can only hope that Orac someday gets a movie deal and acquires the public celebrity that some of these jokers have. Read more »

*This blog post was originally published at Terra Sigillata*

Picture of the Week: How Genetics Work

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(Via Why Evolution is True)

Co-dominance?

*This blog post was originally published at ScienceRoll*

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