Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

My colleagues didn’t take good care of me

Richard E. Waltman, MD
Physician
January 3, 2022
Share
Tweet
Share

I was recently, on two occasions, the recipient of poor care. Care provided by my colleagues. Care that was not good. Care that made me feel sad. Care that did not help me or my patients.

First, I was yelled at by an angry son, who said I had not taken good care of his 89-year-old mother and had “almost killed her.” He told me that information came from the hospitalist, who had “saved her,” and unlike me, really did know what he was doing.

Her son wanted me to know that his mother would have a “more competent” physician when she returned to the long-term care facility.
That, and he wanted me to know he is considering “suing your ass.”

I told him I was sorry his mother was ill and hoped she would fully recover. I did not apologize for the care I had provided her for six years, which I know has been excellent. This hospitalization was due to an acute decompensation of CHF, unpredictable and unpreventable.

It still hurt,though, as it has over my many years in medicine, on those occasions my colleagues have chosen to speak ill of my care to patients and to families, almost always giving incorrect information, I should add.

I call this the “It’s lucky you came to me in time “convention. Let’s get rid of it.

It doesn’t help the patient, it doesn’t solve the problem, and it upsets families. It is not part of an effective care plan.

So why do some physicians do it? I don’t have a good answer. Does it make them feel better? Smarter? More competent?

I myself have done it only once, never again.

When I was a first-year resident and knew everything, I criticized one of the private physicians at rounds for his care. My attending made me call him, and he explained his thinking and plan. It was most reasonable.

Then he provided me with a good guideline I have always kept with me: Consider that every physician you encounter is at least a little smarter than you are. Assume they know what they are doing, even if you don’t understand it. Most of the time they will be right. When you don’t get it, ask. Do it collegially, and it will be received well. Perhaps working together you can find an even better intervention, That way, the patient will always be best served.

And if you sincerely feel a physician has made a serious mistake or provided poor care, you should contact him or her directly. Go ahead, express your concerns. Be prepared, though, for a response that may well explain why the treatment provided was in fact correct, or at least was a reasonable option at the time.

Then later last week my 82-year-old long-term care resident with stable BPH symptoms was admitted to the hospital with urinary retention and urosepsis. Investigating what had happened, I found that his neurologist had six weeks earlier stopped Flomax and Finasteride I previously had ordered with good response because she felt he was having postural hypotension. Had she called me, I would have declined her recommendation, with my thanks for asking me.

ADVERTISEMENT

Too much talking by one physician, poor judgment by another. Two unfortunate and avoidable results.

What to do?

I encourage you to give our colleagues the courtesy and the respect they deserve. Appreciate the care they provide, question professionally and politely when you must, don’t make changes without their input. Work together. Everyone wins, the patient most of all.

And never assume you are the smartest person in the room. You almost never will be.

Richard E. Waltman is a family physician. 

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

The high achiever and the motivated drinker

January 3, 2022 Kevin 0
…
Next

Screening for adverse childhood experiences in pediatric primary care made my job easier

January 3, 2022 Kevin 1
…

Tagged as: Primary Care

Post navigation

< Previous Post
The high achiever and the motivated drinker
Next Post >
Screening for adverse childhood experiences in pediatric primary care made my job easier

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Richard E. Waltman, MD

  • Grief and healing: Navigating loss and meaningful connections

    Richard E. Waltman, MD
  • That’s what doctors do

    Richard E. Waltman, MD

Related Posts

  • Why health care replaced physician care

    Michael Weiss, MD
  • Primary Care First: CMS develops a value-based primary care program for independent practices

    Robert Colton, MD
  • How social media can help or hurt your health care career

    Health eCareers
  • More physician responsibility for patient care

    Michael R. McGuire
  • Primary care makes a difference for patients and the nation

    Glen R. Stream, MD
  • The many benefits of strengthening the primary care workforce

    Nicole Liner-Jigamian, MSW

More in Physician

  • When rock bottom is a turning point: Why the turmoil at HHS may be a blessing in disguise

    Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD
  • How grief transformed a psychiatrist’s approach to patient care

    Devina Maya Wadhwa, MD
  • Fear of other people’s opinions nearly killed me. Here’s what freed me.

    Jillian Rigert, MD, DMD
  • What independent and locum tenens doctors need to know about fair market value

    Dennis Hursh, Esq
  • How one simple breakfast question can transform patient care

    Dr. Damane Zehra
  • Nurses are the backbone of medicine—and they deserve better

    Matthew Moeller, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • What’s driving medical students away from primary care?

      ​​Vineeth Amba, MPH, Archita Goyal, and Wayne Altman, MD | Education
    • A faster path to becoming a doctor is possible—here’s how

      Ankit Jain | Education
    • Why no medical malpractice firm responded to my scientific protocol

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • A world without antidepressants: What could possibly go wrong?

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Meds
    • Reimagining diabetes care with nutrition, not prescriptions

      William Hsu, MD | Conditions
    • Bridging the digital divide: Addressing health inequities through home-based AI solutions

      Dr. Sreeram Mullankandy | Tech
  • Past 6 Months

    • Internal Medicine 2025: inspiration at the annual meeting

      American College of Physicians | Physician
    • The silent crisis hurting pain patients and their doctors

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • What’s driving medical students away from primary care?

      ​​Vineeth Amba, MPH, Archita Goyal, and Wayne Altman, MD | Education
    • What happened to real care in health care?

      Christopher H. Foster, PhD, MPA | Policy
    • Are quotas a solution to physician shortages?

      Jacob Murphy | Education
    • How to build a culture where physicians feel valued [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
  • Recent Posts

    • Reimagining diabetes care with nutrition, not prescriptions

      William Hsu, MD | Conditions
    • Why funding cuts to academic medical centers impact all of us [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • What’s driving medical students away from primary care?

      ​​Vineeth Amba, MPH, Archita Goyal, and Wayne Altman, MD | Education
    • When rock bottom is a turning point: Why the turmoil at HHS may be a blessing in disguise

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Physician
    • How grief transformed a psychiatrist’s approach to patient care

      Devina Maya Wadhwa, MD | Physician
    • A speech pathologist’s key to better, safer patient care

      Adena Dacy, CCC-SLP | Conditions

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 6 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • What’s driving medical students away from primary care?

      ​​Vineeth Amba, MPH, Archita Goyal, and Wayne Altman, MD | Education
    • A faster path to becoming a doctor is possible—here’s how

      Ankit Jain | Education
    • Why no medical malpractice firm responded to my scientific protocol

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • A world without antidepressants: What could possibly go wrong?

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Meds
    • Reimagining diabetes care with nutrition, not prescriptions

      William Hsu, MD | Conditions
    • Bridging the digital divide: Addressing health inequities through home-based AI solutions

      Dr. Sreeram Mullankandy | Tech
  • Past 6 Months

    • Internal Medicine 2025: inspiration at the annual meeting

      American College of Physicians | Physician
    • The silent crisis hurting pain patients and their doctors

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • What’s driving medical students away from primary care?

      ​​Vineeth Amba, MPH, Archita Goyal, and Wayne Altman, MD | Education
    • What happened to real care in health care?

      Christopher H. Foster, PhD, MPA | Policy
    • Are quotas a solution to physician shortages?

      Jacob Murphy | Education
    • How to build a culture where physicians feel valued [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
  • Recent Posts

    • Reimagining diabetes care with nutrition, not prescriptions

      William Hsu, MD | Conditions
    • Why funding cuts to academic medical centers impact all of us [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • What’s driving medical students away from primary care?

      ​​Vineeth Amba, MPH, Archita Goyal, and Wayne Altman, MD | Education
    • When rock bottom is a turning point: Why the turmoil at HHS may be a blessing in disguise

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Physician
    • How grief transformed a psychiatrist’s approach to patient care

      Devina Maya Wadhwa, MD | Physician
    • A speech pathologist’s key to better, safer patient care

      Adena Dacy, CCC-SLP | Conditions

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

My colleagues didn’t take good care of me
6 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...