Monday Medical Note

I was going to post some profound medical quote today, but it got derailed by my last week at work.

So, today's tidbit is related to personal experience over almost 6 years in practice...

"It never pays to lie to your medical provider...they have smelled rats before."

Over the past 3 clinic days, I have had 3 patients lie to me. While there is no class in "Smeling Rats 101" in medical training, we do figure this out over time. The problem with lying to one's medical provider is that it breaks the trust. While it is true that patients need to trust their providers, the relationship has to go both ways.

The patient needs to believe that the medical team is providing the best treatment for their case, but the medical team has to trust that the patient is doing their part, too. What is the patients responsibility? following advice, attending physical therapy and taking medicine AS DIRECTED.

So, if you tell me that: your friend stole your medicine, your pain doctor won't see you for ever, you didn't realize that the bottle said take AS NEEDED, you've had to go to multiple ER's for pain meds, or nothing is touching your pain (while you sit comfortably in your wheelchair)...I will smell a rat.