to wonder why consultants comment on people's personalities?

[EverythingYouDoIsaBalloon]

Not a TAAT but I just read a post on a different thread that mentioned someone experiencing this, and it reminded me that I've heard about it several times over the past couple of years.

In 2023 I fractured my shoulder and as it wasn't a straightforward fracture I was referred to a consultant, who wrote in one of this reports that I was a 'very pleasant lady'. While that was nice to read, it baffled me a little as I didn't see the relevance.

Then a friend of DH's said a consultant had referred to him as a 'pleasant gentleman'. (Different part of the country, no chance it was the same person.)

Then another friend said she'd been referred to as a 'lovely lady' when seen for stomach problems.

Don't get me wrong, compliments are always nice. I just find it a bit strange in a health context. 🤔 I've wondered whether it's some sort of code for 'cooperative patient' or something along those lines, but then I can be a bit of a cynic at times.

Has anyone else experienced this, or does anyone know why it's done?

I am a lawyer who deals with a lot of disability matters so I see a lot of medical letters.

In my experience anyone who is not described as pleasant is usually a deeply unpleasant client. The presence of the word ‘pleasant’ is meaningless, it is the absence of the word that speaks volumes.

They often say nice things about my mum. They never ever do about me, it's always just 'this lady/woman'. I'd be glad if they said I was very pleasant!

Other customer based industries don't do this (or do they?)

Healthcare isn't a customer service industry.

I've usually been described as 'articulate' 'well informed' or 'delightful' when I've given a consultant a hard time about something. To be fair, I'm always extremely polite when I'm arguing/questioning the reason for something.

The one I really pissed off because I'd explained why exactly I thought I had something wrong with me (the lifelong medical conditions, treatments, medications and formal diagnosis from a particular consultant known to be an expert in the field was my clue) made a point of saying 'this obese woman'. Mate, I've come to you because I've got a ganglion on my wrist that really hurts because it's massive and compressing the nerves. I'm not asking you to operate on my arse.

I bet these descriptors are used far more frequently for women patients than men. I actually really dislike the use of words like ‘pleasant’ in this context.

😂

What a shite of a man! Your arse comment me chuckle though @NeverDropYourMooncup

Ugh! Equal parts patronising and creepy.

I didn't say customer service, but it is customer/ client facing. Solicitors don't mention my articulate client, my pleasant client, nor do accountants or architects or banks or insurance brokers etc. All of which have to deal with potentially difficult clients and all who need to adapt their manner accordingly. Only doctors feel the need to pass comment, like their 2 minute meeting with you is also a full assessment of your character. Its very arrogant

I was cross when my clothing was part of a report !

I was described as "casually dressed" , wnen I was wearing an expensive trouser suit.

My neurologist referred to me in his opening line as ‘I met with this XX years old right-handed patient you referred ’.
Definitely didn’t call me pleasant despite my efforts to be polite! 😁

My GP always writes in my referral letters that not only am I a healthcare professional but I lecture anatomy and physiology at the university. I think he’s giving the consultants a heads up not to fob me off. 😂

Utter rubbish, not judgemental, simply honest, which is very much lacking on occasion where most things have to be sugar coated. The medical profession are tip toeing around patients and dealing with some very difficult individuals, and if they can give the heads up about a patient’s personality and behaviour in this way I say fair play to them.

And therein lies the problem. What if the 'anxious' patient is actually asking Qu's or wants a 2nd opinion and turns out to be correct? Then that patient has code for 'PITA' on their notes for the next HCP who will view them through that lens.

Unless you are being seen by Psych then the bare facts should be recorded: ie, f, 64, presents with X, m 22, presents with y. Not how 'amenable' they are.

I once queried a treatment plan, politely, because I had looked into my options and found that the NHS doesn't always give you full options but the cheapest ones.

I was described as "an interesting, well informed and vocal girl".

I was 27. So hardly a girl, as for vocal, I dared ask a legitimate question politely.

Tosser.

I just finished up a day seeing a lot of people in an outpatient clinic. I do not go in for descriptions of pleasant or anything like that. I just say I saw x on y date in z clinic and then launch into what they came for, my impression and the plan. I think that's seen as a bit old school these days and I don't see it done much any longer in my field.

Sometimes I do want to convey that the consultation was difficult. To be honest I usually just say that if it was. I mean it's hardly likely they won't have realised. Or I say we 'had an extensive/ animated discussion about...' or 'I suggested x and he disagreed'

I don't see the need to make vague comments about people being pleasant or them being married If it's diagnostically relevant that they were rude or confrontational (or indeed anxious or tearful) I'd probably say so. But I'm a psychiatrist so that kind of conversation is expected.

Same. Or “be aware of potential Munchausen by proxy”. 😆. Which I used to be worried about being accused of when advocating for dd.

Yes, the letter to my doctor from the consultant began…
‘I have reviewed this very pleasant lady who was accompanied by her equally pleasant husband in my office today…’
I have no issue with it, and I don’t see why anyone else would.

Despite making an effort to dress nicely/groom well, doctors usually describe me as 'unkempt'.

I have this on good authority from a retired consultant: "pleasant" is code for "basically normal, we had a normal interaction, unlikely to flip tables/assault you/verbally abusive clinic staff." I guess they see all sorts. Its considered old fashioned nowadays so its omission isn't necessarily a warning, but it used to be.

My allergic cat has "this adorable female juvenile" on her notes, which makes me laugh, because she is both adorable and a bit of a juvenile delinquent, so it suits her. She's doing great now but she was scratching herself raw when I first rescued her, she's allergic to multiple common proteins used in cat food.

Exactly!

It is all code, pleasant lady/gentleman basically means normal, not a nutter, all fine.

Other ways of referring to people that I have seen regularly include:
Delightful
Knowledgeable
Well informed
Lively child
Talkative/chatty
Reserved
Fragile
Anxious/worried
They are normally positive on the face of it but you have to read between the lines.

You sometimes see reference to the patients profession. This knowledgeable lawyer means watch your back they will test your knowledge and sue you if you make a mistake. Doctors often make it clear if the patient or their parent/partner is a fellow medic too for similar reasons.

Could not disagree more. I have managed to be a successful hospital consultant, with great feedback from colleagues and patients, without ever having to describe someone as pleasant or otherwise.

Do they have a God complex? It's quite patronising.

I dread to think what a consultant's letter about my permanently unkempt DH would say... 😄

But then, as pps have suggested, it's changes from the norm that might point to a problem, I can see that certain statements in notes could help to track any worrying developments.

Using this username as this is quite outing if my best friend is a MNer!

My orthopaedic consultant wrote a letter describing me as a ‘pleasant, right-handed nurse’ my best friend was so amused when I showed her the letter that she renamed me on her contact list and I am still saved as ‘pleasant, right-handed nurse’ to this day

Pleasant = agreeable patient, not rude, racist or difficult
Right-handed = I can only guess that the comment about my dominant hand was because I saw him for a problem with my right shoulder, but who knows!
Nurse = don’t fob her off because she will know