As a doctor, I’m not concerned with patient satisfaction

oh look, a surgeon with a god complex...that's not a stereotype or anything...

Please define "every aspect of the care I provide". Only your surgery or are you including pre-op, recovery, post-op?

"after they google nonsense" You might try telling them to sign-up for UpToDate, put the onus on them to get better informed.

Also, don't you really mean 'most/too many' "American patients..."? "Ill-informed" I agree with. However, I disagree with "all the damage you do to yourselves", I doubt you could possibly be that extensive.

Mediocrity seems to have become an acceptable standard within the US healthcare system. As a patient I've experienced many mistakes and encountered doctors/nurses that did not read my file. Unfortunately for practitioners like you, I've learned to stay informed and speak up when something has been missed.

Pissed Off Old Boy wrote:

I'll have you know that I eat McDonalds 4 times a week, and drink at least 72 ounces of Beer a night!

>:(

lightweight

You are Doogie Howser and I claim my 5 bucks.

As someone who's not your patient I/m not concerned that you're an ass. Maybe if you gave your patients the idea that they mattered to you they'd be less inclined to double check whether your advice was any good.

Dr. Noisewater wrote:

As for the other guy: do you think it’s remotely possible for a fellowship trained surgeon in the US to be the world’s worst doctor?

The more you post, the more possible it looks.

Dude, you're a plumber...

Most surgeons are terrible with patient service, because they just piece things back together, and those that have done it for a while realize they are highly paid plumbers. they also don't take advice from other professionals, they think they are the smartest person in every room even when it is obvious that they are not.

Plumbers nothing more.

The good doctor has an excellent point. He is obligated to provide competent patient service, but is not necessarily obligated to patient satisfaction, especially if satisfaction is premised upon subjective factors which don't directly bear on health.

To use an analogy, I have been practicing IP and transaction law for years. My clients deserve excellent service, but not necessarily satisfaction, especially if they desire to break the law or assume significant regulatory risk. Yes, of course, we are polite and professional about all of these matters, and we like to think our professionalism in and of itself gives considerable satisfaction, but in the end we have an obligation to provide client service which transcends all else. I get the good doctor's point.

Sometimes what is "satisfying" for a patient and what they need are 2 different things.

You know what, if this guy is a general surgeon then I am fine with his lousy attitude. I am happy that my primary care doctor is a nice guy who listens to my thoughts and takes the time to explain things to me. For a surgeon, as long as they do a good job, I'm fine with them not being the most cheerful and accommodating person.

I had a bad accident when a car hit me while I was riding my bike and I needed surgery afterwards. My surgeon was top rated and a enormously skilled. He wasn't particularly nice, but thats fine because my longest interaction with him was during the 3 hours I was under general anesthesia .

This Doctor don't care about patient satisfaction one bit! He refused to give my pain pills for my back. I hurt my back when I worked in a factory in the 90's and the doctor gave me some Oxy. 10 years ago the factory closed but my back still hurts. Now I go to 5 or 6 different doctors all accross Ohio to get my sweet sweet pain candy (thats what I call Viccodin). Trump says he was gonna make America Great again, but then why cant the doctor give me my pain meds?

You should be concerned with patient satisfaction. CMS is and thus can directly impact your reimbursement. Patients can also have access in some cases to your patient satisfaction scores via CMS as most patients receive surveys. This is the nature of medicine today. It sucks but should make you a better physician, though it sounds to me you are burnt out and need a vacation...as with most surgeons.

And quite frankly you can be a nice surgeon with weak skills and bounce backs and still be preferred to mean ones with great skills.

Where do you work? Let's get real here.

Polski wrote:

The reason doctors don’t care about patient satisfaction is that medicine is a anti-competitive field whose members the government protects from the free market. If not for occupational licensing, many of today’s doctors would not be able to survive because patients would leave them for better alternatives.

Bankers, insurance professionals and other business entrepreneurs were the highest earners in US sixty years ago. Due to Cuban Revolution there was a socialist wave spreading across Western Hemisphere, especially free healthcare. Medicare/medicaid was a concession the US made with the left. Medicare/medicaid turned medical doctors from mostly men whom earned what accountants earned to those whom now earn over a 1/2 million dollars a year. You guys aren't relatively smarter than you were sixty years ago, just paid better. Get over yourself. Medical doctors are glorified electricians and glorified plumbers.

0/10

Poor effort

Bet he works for a VA hospital and is a clock watcher like most federal employees. Middle of an amputation he says"it's 5, gotta go, we'll have to finish this tomorrow. "

Nahhh.... wrote:

0/10

Poor effort

You don’t understand the rating system.

It takes all types... I am utterly committed to patient satisfaction. That's because I fake being a doctor to carry out pelvic exams on hot chicks. Amazing how easily they drop their panties for a white coat and some professional vocabulary, you know "We (always WE) need to palpate the anterior vaginal wall, do not worry this will not be painful. Sexual arousal is a common side effect of this part of the exam, so do not become anxious if this happens..." etc.