To have asked the Doctor to stop?

[abigboydidit]

I am currently at an outpatient appt at my local hospital. Getting fitted for a vaginal pessary
This is taking a lot of re-fitting and I am basically being taken between patients to go up sizes until they get one that fits. While we were waiting for the nurse to get the next size, the Dr started dictating a GP letter about the person who was in before me. He got as far as patient name, address, date of birth and presenting symptoms when I pulled back the curtain and said "excuse me, do you realise I am here?" (I was right next to him but with a curtain between us). He looked very confused and said yes and went to continue. I said I felt very uncomfortable listening to someone's personal clinical history and that I would be very upset to think my problems would be discussed in a similar way in front of other patients. He apologised and stopped but explained it was routine practice to save time.

Was I unreasonable?

sorry come again theoretically clinics have admin time built into them but it's an absolute farce.

In a three hour clinic I see on average 20 patients, which is a mix of new and follow up patients, giving me nine minutes per patient. The majority of those i will have to send for an X-Ray and re-see. Some will have to be consented and admitted. there is very little time to dictate letters and clinics often overrun.

Unacceptable (and I'm a GP).

Occasionally I have to take a call about another patient when a patient is in with me (e.g. if hospital calling and it is urgent. ) - I either tilt the screen so they can't see it and make sure I don't mention any names or, more often, ask the patient in my room to step out for a minute.

Moreisnnogedag you are right of course. The amount of patient vs time allocated is ridiculous.

BUT you wouldn't dictate notes in front of a different patient would you?

Having been to many different outpatients clinics, I've no issue with appointments overrunning. It happens, particularly when dealing with people that are clearly needing admitted. It's the lack of info that cracks me up, a simple "clinic running 20mins late" board would suffice.

But that's another story and not anybodies fault. (Apart from the powers that be that overbooked clinics/don't provide enough staff to cover)

Also I've got 7month-gone pregnancy hormones floating about. So just ignore me

And this is why i am seen by patient writing up notes and letters to gp (allied health profession not gp here) for 2-3 minutes before i ask them to come in. The amount of throat clearing that goes on when they see my previous patient leave. . Well done op for speaking up. Doctor needs to change the way he works even if it means you wait longer.

Last two clinical appointments I had doctor dictated report/letter in front of me. In one case it meant I caught something that wasn't accurate before it was added to my notes (he added a "not" where there shouldn't have been one).

I've never known them dictate other people's notes except when I've been in A&E (I used to have the nickname "Batfink" because of my exceptional hearing - now ruined by far too much loud music, unfortunately) and they were dictating at the nurse/doctor station the other side of a partition wall from the cubicle I was in.

The doctor may well have been trying to use time efficiently and no doubt has more to do than time allows but dictating the notes of one patient in front of another patient is not an acceptable solution to the issue of not enough time and the op was right to challenge it.

Do I get the prize for the lo gest sentence ?

No that's not routine at all (another doctor here).

Longest.....damn phone!

Please make a complaint! This is a rubbish beach of confidentiality. He needs to think jow he arranges his work.

I think any health practitioner has had situations when someone is talking to them about another patient, when in stranger's earshot. Whether thats a phone call, or in person. Often clinics and hospitals have surprisingly few private spaces... Especially it is now the norm that clincians share rooms, or hot desk in public spaces. Sometimes a corner of a corridor are the most private bizarrely.

Most colleagues get around this by referring to either patients initials or NHS number... Or they just say something like.;.. That complex lady we were discussing earlier... Perhaps we need to do this and this...

Thanks everyone. It was a registrar and not a consultant but there was a FY2 there as well. It all got very awkward. The Doctor apologised again the next time I went in but also said he was very upset by what had happened and highlighted the stack of case notes on the desk, saying I could have complained about that too After a slightly tense conversation I reassured him that I wasn't planning on putting in a complaint and he sees reassured by that and backed off slightly. Made an unpleasant process even worse so although I am glad I spoke out in another way I almost wish I hadn't.

Well I'm sure he was reassured by that as he clearly new that he was out of order and that a complaint may well have resulted in disciplinary action.

In your shoes I would also leave it at that as I'm guessing he has probably learnt a useful lesson and there would be little more to be gained in taking it further, although there may be those who will disagree.

Well done for speaking up.

*Knew...obvs I'm really fed up with this phone