HealthMatters 2010
The medical profession is in a constant state of flux.
perfect. A lot of people depend
That’s tough for patients, because keeping up on the latest issues, on you, and sometimes you
ailments and cures can be a matter of life and death. It is with that in
don’t know what to do next.
mind that every four years we publish our popular Top Doctors issue. The
most recent edition, reprinted here from an earlier issue of Milwaukee
What are the most common
Magazine, has something special: We sat down with five area practitio-
mistakes or misconceptions
of patients?
ners to get a frank, behind-the-scenes look at what it’s really like to be a
Internist/General Practitioner:
doctor – and how that affects you as a patient. Not following the [treatment]
plan as laid out.
To hear doctors describe the situations they encounter daily is to question the sanity of those
Cardiologist: That more is bet-
who choose to dedicate their lives to medicine. One physician tells of a former patient who had
a psychological disorder and would mistreat the staff, disrupt the waiting room and abuse pre-
ter. That procedures can cure
scriptions. Another describes the stress of giving a patient the best care possible while the threat
everything. It is important to
of malpractice hangs overhead. Then there’s perhaps the most frustrating scenario of all: when
understand that prevention is
insurance rules and financial considerations interfere with giving patients the care they need.
key to wellness.
But not everything is so bleak. There are also stories here about compassion, hope and the
Rheumatologist: That doctors
human spirit. Doctors’ daily lives are an endless series of highs and lows, inspiring successes and
are superhuman.
demoralizing defeats – to a degree the general public can scarcely imagine.
Emergency Medicine: Emer-
Our panel consists of an obstetrician/gynecologist, a rheumatologist, an internist/general
gency departments are
practitioner, a cardiologist and an emergency physician. They are all board certified, with a di-
swamped in this city because
verse geographical practice, and have nearly 100 years of combined professional experience. To
we say if a patient thinks it’s
encourage frankness, we promised them anonymity (and no photos), and they responded, pro-
an emergency, it’s an emergen-
viding a candid inside look at the health care system.
cy. There is a terrific overuse
of the emergency departments
for things that could be readily
served by clinics.
What’s the best way for a
know you well will tend to situation. I consider that trust a OB/GYN: The most common
patient to choose a doctor?
know what you like. Picking sacred thing. mistake is thinking that health
Emergency Medicine: Ask out of the phone book is not insurance is for health. It’s not;
around. There are differ- the best idea. it’s for sickness. Young people
ent types of personalities, and
What’s the worst thing about
tend to think nothing can ever
Personality A may not mesh
being a doctor?
happen to [them].
with Personality X. I’d ask my
What’s the best thing about
Internist/General Practitioner:
neighbors. I’d ask my hairdress-
being a doctor?
Telling somebody he or she
er. I’d ask everybody. Rheumatologist: The oppor- has a serious illness they
What is the most common
Cardiologist: Often nurses are tunity to intervene in peo- might not recover from is dif-
mistake doctors make?
the best resource. There is less ple’s lives. Insurance issues, ficult. Certainly talking to a Internist/General Practitioner:
conflict of interest. They’re the insane scheduling practic- family about a loved one who’s I think the biggest mistakes I
honest and they have a broad es and the hurriedness of our just passed away is difficult. make are mistakes of not lis-
experience base since they work day seems to fall away when But the most difficult part is tening, of not working hard
with many different physicians. the door is shut and you get to trying to be involved enough enough to set the context for
If you want an unbiased opin- talk to a patient in a room. The and help share in the bur- the person’s symptoms and re-
ion, ask the nurses. world sort of stops and you get den with your patients with- ally understand where they are
Rheumatologist: Word of to interact in a very real way. out letting that worry you to coming from.
mouth is still very important. A Internist/General Practitioner: the point you can’t function. Emergency Medicine: Mistakes
good physician treats the dis- The privilege of being asked to As a physician, you have a re- happen when people don’t lis-
ease; a great physician treats the help with people’s difficulties. lationship – it’s intimate and ten well. One of my teach-
patient who has the disease. I think the experience of being it’s really a sharing of bur- ers told me if you can’t figure
OB/GYN: Talk to friends. Find intimately involved with a wide dens. Being able to keep that out what’s wrong after taking
out who they’re comfortable variety of people is common to in perspective and to function a good history, it’s either real-
with. Because you have to be all physicians. and remain cheerful and op- ly quirky or you haven’t listened
able to relate to [your doc- Cardiologist: It always amazes timistic as a person and as a well. When I go into a room, I
tors] well, feel like they’re real- me how people accept you and physician can be difficult. give the patient my undivided
ly hearing you and will try to trust you even at first meeting, OB/GYN: It’s the expectation to attention. The history I take is
meet your needs. People who and often in a life-threatening meet everyone’s needs and be the most important test I do.
8 › Milwaukee Magazine › HealthMatters 2010 ›
milwaukeemagazine.com Photo by Dan Bishop
1109_HM_FEAT_Top Docs.indd 8 9/22/09 1:35:32 PM
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