The Too Informed Patient from Marketplace on Vimeo.
Produced by Gregory Warner and Mara Zepeda. Created by Sebastienne Mundheim ofWhite Box Theatre, acted by Charles DelMarcelle and Doug Greene, and voiced by two actors from Philadelphia’s Pig Iron Theatre Company. (HAT TIP – The good folks at TDWI)
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Hello one and all my name is Stephanie I’m in Wilmington North Carolina and yes well too informed at this point however I am pretty much terrified as well, because I’ve only been researching my problem for four or five months and I have run across a terrible trend that has me wondering if there has been a sort of dark paradigm shift where knowledge and information about skin parasite infestations has vanished and the unfortunate patients who are experiencing them have become invisible and expendable The lack of knowledge in the 2o odd medical professionals I spoke to when trying to find someone to treat me for this misdiagnosed for eight years massive infestation of skin mites: I come across so much ignorance that I really don’t understand how it has gone on for this long. I also belong to multiple support groups and within those support groups of sometimes 4000 people, it is a common occurrence that people with skin parasites and complicated infestations have been ignored, dismissed and not medically treated ! I have uncovered so many instances that I believe now that healthcare is showing a trend in the United States were physicians and healthcare workers are refusing to treat patients with complicated cases of skin mites. And it is in my investigations that I realize that they probably and simply simply don’t know how to and they really don’t want the enormous amount of time it takes to treat these cases and the probability of a good outcome is pretty negative because American physicians are not learning the way these infestations needs to be treated. I got much my information from Australia where the aborigines are very much researched because of their propensity to have these kind of infestation‘s and based on the way that medical community treat their patients is the way American doctors have to learn!!! I personally am on a phenomenal amount of medication, like so many more times than what the American doctors are thinking is normal. I do not see how anybody can be cured with what they’re saying to do here in the states and it’s no wonder that doctors don’t wanna waste their time. But getting them to admit it is impossible. The only way that I could get the treatment was by going to Mexico and finding a Doctor who tested me and explained what exactly what I need to do. The amount of medication that I need ,that anybody needs ,who has complicated skin parasites is much much more than what the American doctors are used to. But I have been treated by the Mexican doctor for almost 5 months with more medication than an American patient and have only achieved a 50% reduction in the infestation.. According to most doctors here in the United States two pills of ivermectin and some permethrin cream is all you need to treat Norwegian scabies. (Absolutely false) Another doctor said that you can’t get them on your face or on your head. (HA) Another one said that Ivermectin wasn’t approved by the FDA so they can’t prescribe it for skin mites. ( BULL)And yet another doctor said you can catch them from animals like dogs or foxes when in fact it absolutely impossible. I don’t know what to do with all this information that I have and knowing that there are many many thousands of poor souls who have been absolutely denied treatment for skin parasites because doctors don’t know how to treat it in this country. They won’t admit that, what they do is deny suffering patients with a diagnosis which legally protects them from having the responsibility of treating you. The fact is when you are infested with skin mites, you are extremely contagious and you run the risk of putting the entire world at risk to become infested as well. Especially when it’s complicated infestations. So in this case all the knowledge that I have accumulated in all this time that I’ve been researching has done nothing but freak me out and terrify me further as I go further down the rabbit hole. I have no idea what I’m going to do because my 65 I’m 65 and my mother is 87 and she of course is also infested because that’s just what happens when you live with somebody and you have skin mites Nobody will treat us because nobody will take the responsibility of actually diagnosing the situation. I have had reputable well-known dermatologist in this town out right lie and say they do not see they do not know and they have no idea what’s going on. I am so disappointed and scared. Anyway thank you for listening to my rant and my raves and I appreciate your time.
I am an informed patient and I found that hilarious! It really shows the extreme of both sides. I was born with a rare bone marrow disease and have had many health issues as well. So, I have been to many Doctors in my time. I don’t go back to the ones that don’t listen or desire to have a partnership with me with my health. I realize that Doctors don’t have a lot of time to give to each patient, so I take it seriously to try to understand my health, and to help bridge that gap. I do understand my limitations with knowledge, and that is why I expect my Doctor to explain to me why or why not whatever I have read is or isn’t what I think it could be. I have a wonderful Hemotologist/Oncologist (Dr. Al-Hassani) that I love! He has helped me when having trouble with other Doctors and has stepped in for me. He knows me and my history, and I trust and respect him thoroughly. I wish all Doctors could be like him!
Just had to tell this story. Went into a Hospital to have simple GYN laproscopy surgery done that I have had done 3x before by GYN. Long story short, I went to ER that night with severe pain and was admitted for low blood count and given transfusion. This hospital is 60 min away and I was assigned a Doctor. I was given 2 pints of blood and my count dropped more, The Doctor assigned to me had an ego and was rude..he didn’t want to give me any more blood even though it was a 7 after 2 pints and my admitting count was 7.5! I called my Hemotologist and gave him my blood counts…he spoke with the Doctor and he agreed to give me just one pint. Another day, no tests, and blood count still dropping – it is at a 6 after 3 pints. Sunday they took out my IV’s but didn’t release me. I called my hemotologist again, he got me a room at his hospital. I told the hospital that I was leaving to go to a different hospital. The rude Doctor that was assigned to me said that there were no beds available (it was winter in FL…need I say more) All of a sudden I was a liablility and couldn’t leave without an ambulance. After 3 days they wanted to do tests! Such arrogance! I told him I had a bed waiting for me and left. I then had to go by ambulance to the other hospital where my Hemotologist met me at 10PM and starting giving me more blood and started tests. I was in the hospital for a total of 7 days and 5 pints total and left with a 9.5 HBG. For a surgery that was done by my GYN. Thank you Dr. Yasir Al-Hassani! I hate to think what would have happened to someone that didn’t know much about their health or how to navigate the system.
My hat is off to all of the great Doctors out there! It is a difficult job that few can do well.
Anad PS Sorry about the long post, but my Hemotolgist has been my hero many times…I love telling that story!
A good example of the Great vs the Bad!
okay – I’m taking a look
I can relate to both perspectives…the patient jumping ahead of himself, and the other view that the doctor is not taking the condition seriously. But I would rather the doctor take the symptoms very seriously. For example, many people are diagnosed with cancer when it has already advanced to the late stage….why? Because those slight symptoms mask the real illness at hand and drs usually would never guess it’s cancer. People get cancer without any real symptoms and unless a very attentive, informed and updated dr catches it early and insists on tests, it becomes too late. Even now, when i look up info on supplements and integrative therapies, I’m told I look on the internet too much. Just because I didn’t go to med school does not mean that I can’t be proactive and informed.
as a parent of an autistic child this conversation reminds me of the attitude shown to any parent who asks questions about the causes of autism.
If a parent even dares to look at any of the autistic/vaccine trial documentation or suggest that more testing needs to be done then the situation becomes even more vitriolic.
doctors and researchers need to understand that nothing is more important to a patient then their health and the health of their child and if they don’t want parents and patients doing research on their own then they need to be helping them understand full and complete information at all times.
so while this is insulting and also typical to what many see it is also a lesson that needs to be learned.
however the lesson is not one that is intended for patients it is intended for doctors. and if the behavior of this doctor does not embarrass you then really you need to think long and hard on your career and the reason you became a doctor and see if your motivations are still the same.
Speaking as a parent of a child with a rare medical condition, this video is insulting. I often feel that anything I say in the presence of a physician is taken just like this video depicts – ridiculous and incorrect. I understand that there are many patients who might be hypochondriacs, but that doesn’t mean they deserve mockery… take the time to educate your patients.
That being said, most physicians haven’t even heard of the medical condition my children have, and when I present their “book” of medical records, and even offer my “lay term” version of their disease, I don’t get taken seriously until our metabolic/genetics physicians are consulted. Physicians should be encouraged to take the humble approach to understand that some patients might actually have more knowledge about a medical condition than them because they have had to study that disease for the past 8 years out of necessity.
This video, even if meant as a joke among physicians, is a gleaming example of the disconnect between the patient and physician today, and should be embarrassing for doctors. Perhaps the average patient would not need to perform any research on their own if they felt that they, or their family’s needs were being met by their physician. Most physicians are not willing to put any effort toward learning something new, and will not give you more than a band-aid fix in the 15 minute allotted time slot to get paid… yet laugh at your concerns behind your back (or post a mockumnetary online).
Interesting, that some comments suggest the doctor’s at fault – that he demeans/ignores the patient. Having watched this several times, I perceive that’s how the patient treated his physician.
We come at this with very different perspectives –
I’ve read about shorter and shorter appointment times, but this one clocked in at under three minutes. I wonder if that isn’t meant to be part of the satire (in which both sides of a problem are exaggerated for humor and to provoke thought).
When you demean and insult Patients in this way. There is no room for subtle arguments,When such graphic arrogance has been displayed.I’m sure this is a inside joke among Physcians on how ignorant their patients can become. However,If the Doctor choses to remain silent. Then He or She has failed to advocate for their patients and deserves a lashing.
“Health Care reform?” has a ulterior motive in selling insurance or whatever and so it would suck up to anyone who would buy their products.
I agree with Gary. You can never be too informed. Being extremely informed does intimidate doctors at times though, so you need to also be careful not to insult them. Remember they are people just like you or I, and ultimately you want your doctor to be rooting for you. It’s easier to persuade people if you use polite arguments and rather than being confrontational. Very funny video though.
It would be better to title this “The Unmindful, Self-absorbed Doctor”.
The patient may have unrealistic concerns but the doctor is not listening and responding to the patient to address these concerns. The result is that the patient leaves to pursue a (probably) unwise course of action. Bad outcome for the patient and the doctor. The doctor could have approached this differently but he has (mentally) abandoned the patient.
I take it that patients should be niave and uninformed about options and their Health? We should be niave and trusting like some kid being abducted by a pedifile or serial killer! Showing unwaivering trust without doubt or question?
You can never be too informed to protect oneself from medical Errors and Hospital Acquired Infections. Certainly,No Doctor would sign any release;that is Contrary to the interests of the patient.
We find Pharma Companies advertising their infomercials on television and No One Faults them for spuring unnecessary Testing and informed questioning. So what is the differance? These tactics increase Doctor’s and Pharma’s incomes.A informed patient questions the need for various testing and medication. Limiting run away spending that insurers never question.