this week i spoke with a very angry young man.
he was black (his photo was in his medical record). identified as being from west oakland. and very upset why he could not get the care he perceived he needed.
this is a common occurrence already. it mostly came from the privileged, entitled demographic. and to be fair, i did not know much about his socioeconomic situation. however, as we spoke, it seemed he had a profound illiteracy for his own health. i reviewed his last actual in-person visit with an urgent care physician a couple months ago. he was given recommendations and treatment. and two months later he is calling in for more treatment, somewhat inappropriately, because by his own admission he had failed to adhere to the first.
it would have been very easy, i think, to get in a battle of frustration with this young man. frustration on our part because he was not following up as recommended, and then barging in to the clinics, against all public advice to call in advance, ostensibly not wearing any type of protection because "coronavirus is a hoax."
i think after "discussing" his medical issues (quotes because, it was largely him being angry and not understanding/accepting my explanations), this was the thing that stunned me the most. i couldn't even be angry, i was so shocked that he would say that. "if it's real then tell me why they're all these construction workers around then"
it burst the bubble i've been sitting (very comfortably) in for the last few weeks. presuming that people would understand the "right" and "wrong" thing to do. as if everyone had a basic working knowledge of germ theory. and had the inclination to listening to the large institutions from which they are disenfranchised from in the first place. and even if they did, the resources to comply.
yeah, he was angry. he had every right to be angry.
what was i to do? tell him never to come and only accept treatment over the phone? "i'm paying so much money to you guys and i'm not getting xyz."
what is the individual primary care doc to do?
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around the park, after dark
About Me
- Dancer D.O.
- hella NorCal. if you're lookin for a classy broad, go somewhere else.
What is a D.O.?
D.O.s continue the tradition of bringing health care to areas of greatest need:
- Approximately 65% of practicing osteopathic physicians specialize in primary care areas, such as pediatrics, family practice, obstetrics and gynecology, and internal medicine.
- Many D.O.s fill a critical need for physicians by practicing in rural and other medically underserved communities.
D.O.s bring wholeness back to the art of medicine:
- Osteopathic medical schools emphasize training students to be primary care physicians.
- D.O.s practice a "whole person" approach to medicine. Instead of just treating specific symptoms or illnesses, they regard your body as an integrated whole.
- Osteopathic physicians focus on preventive health care.
- D.O.s receive extra training in the musculoskeletal system-your body's interconnected system of nerves, muscles and bones that make up two-thirds of your body mass. This training provides osteopathic physicians with a better understanding of the ways that an illness or injury in one part of your body can affect another.
- Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is incorporated into the training and practice of osteopathic physicians. With OMT, osteopathic physicians use their hands to diagnose illness and injury and to encourage your body's natural tendency toward good health. By combining all other available medical options with OMT, D.O.s offer their patients the most comprehensive care available in medicine today.
What is Osteopathic Medicine?
Osteopathic medicine is a unique form of American medical care that was started in 1874 by Andrew Taylor Still, M.D., D.O. Dr. Still was dissatisfied with the effectiveness of 19th century medicine. He believed that many of the medications of his day were useless or even harmful. Dr. Still was one of the first in his time to study the attributes of good health so that he could better understand the process of disease.
In response, Dr. Still developed a philosophy of medicine based on ideas that date back to Hippocrates, the father of medicine. That philosophy focuses on the unity of all body parts. Dr. Still identified the musculoskeletal system as a key element of health. He recognized the body's ability to heal itself and stressed preventive medicine, eating properly and keeping fit.
Dr. Still pioneered the concept of "wellness" more than 130 years ago. In today's terms, D.O.s evaluate each patient's personal health risks-such as smoking, high blood pressure, excessive cholesterol levels, stress and other lifestyle factors. In coordination with prescribing appropriate medical treatment, osteopathic physicians act as teachers to help patients take more responsibility for their well-being and to change un-healthy patterns.
In response, Dr. Still developed a philosophy of medicine based on ideas that date back to Hippocrates, the father of medicine. That philosophy focuses on the unity of all body parts. Dr. Still identified the musculoskeletal system as a key element of health. He recognized the body's ability to heal itself and stressed preventive medicine, eating properly and keeping fit.
Dr. Still pioneered the concept of "wellness" more than 130 years ago. In today's terms, D.O.s evaluate each patient's personal health risks-such as smoking, high blood pressure, excessive cholesterol levels, stress and other lifestyle factors. In coordination with prescribing appropriate medical treatment, osteopathic physicians act as teachers to help patients take more responsibility for their well-being and to change un-healthy patterns.
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