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Doctors code words.

93 replies

GreekOddess · 02/12/2019 21:33

Just received a copy of a letter from my Consultant to my GP which states that he had "the pleasure of meeting this lovely lady". I remember reading somewhere else that everything is written in code. So what is "lovely lady" code for? Does it mean that I'm not a pain in the arse??

OP posts:
WiseUpJanetWeiss · 02/12/2019 22:28

I’m fairly sure it means what it says.

Almost all DH’s hospital letters say “I reviewed this pleasant gentleman, who was accompanied by his wife, in clinic today” or “This pleasant gentleman attended clinic with his wife”.

I do think “with his wife” may be code for “watch out - he’s always accompanied by a highly organised and over-protective lunatic”, though...

LifeImplosionImminent · 02/12/2019 22:32

It is a shame that the medical profession can't directly tell an arsehole that they are being an arsehole. I suppose that could be said for any service industry job! And teachers...I love the idea of a code but it must be hard enough remembering seven years worth of medical terms...

Obligatorync · 02/12/2019 22:33

Over the years I have noticed a certain pointedness in the use of the phrase 'after a lengthy discussion...'

My favourite was 'this delightful right-handed gentleman with a keen interest in the opera'.

Pleasant is just a filler.

Interesting means they aren't sure what's wrong with you.

tobee · 02/12/2019 22:34

I remember, when ds was about 3 months old, he had to see a consultant about whether he had a foot deformity (he didn't), ds managed to be fast asleep throughout the entire examination. As I left the room I heard the consultant start recording his notes into his dictaphone "thank you for referring to me this pleasant little... fellow" Grin

Sandsnake · 02/12/2019 22:37

DS broke his leg when he was two and the consultant discharged him back to the GP with ‘I had the pleasure of meeting this charming gentleman...’. We liked that Smile

mumwon · 02/12/2019 22:39

@WiseUpJanetWeiss Grin I always accompany dh he is hard of hearing - I imagine some of dr secretly say worse of me

SlightlyBonkersQFA · 02/12/2019 22:48

I think it is a bit weird. You still need whatever treatment you need whether you're pleasant or not.

CurbsideProphet · 02/12/2019 22:52

I'm always "pleasant lady" in letters from my consultant Smile I always thought it was unofficial code for "patient attends appointments, follows advice, and is easy to deal with" Grin

itbemay1 · 02/12/2019 22:58

I've had one with this charming young lady! I'm mid forties, and not charming at all... found it all a bit odd and archaic

IAmCatBed · 02/12/2019 22:58

This is pretty normal. DS has been under the care of a variety of Consultants since 1995. A lot of the letters he is copied into start with 'lovely/personable/friendly young man.' Which he is. He isn't a pain in the arse. Sometimes I wish he would be more assertive but it just isn't in his nature. He's fine. Two bouts of cancer and had the all clear thankfully.

Although one of the first letters we received after DS had been discharged from hospital when he was 8, copied to his GP, caused my now MIL to have a silly hissy fit after we let her read it. It said that DS was the child of 'unrelated parents'. She thought they were judging us because we weren't married at the time.

We had to explain to her that it meant that DH and I weren't actually biologically related apart from being married, so there were no genetic or familial conditions, where we might both have had genetic issues, that we might have shared with him which could have led to his illness.

We did feed this back to the consultant who had written the letter at our next appointment and he totally got how that phrase could be misinterpreted. In subsequent letters we were copied into the phraseology was changed to say that DS's 'parents were not biologically related.' However, I have no idea if this was done only for us or whether it was done for all other parents in the same situation.

I think many GPs and Consultants learn the shorthand they use in letters from those teaching them and don't always understand the impact of their words. Perhaps until we tell them. But I have not yet met one who was not prepared to listen where improvement could have been made.

But I can't believe for a moment that your consultant would have meant anything other than it was a pleasure to meet you. I have met so many Consultants since 1985. All have been absolutely lovely and not one has ever been anything less than honest.

Zoflorabore · 02/12/2019 22:58

I’ve always been referred to as a “pleasant lady” but one letter I received called me a “peasant lady” and it was supposedly electronically checked by the consultant. Made me laugh though Smile

Sunflower20 · 02/12/2019 23:00

@nevertellmetheodds

I'm interested in knowing how they quantified the number of PEs you had, in your right lung Hmm

Sunflower20 · 02/12/2019 23:02

It's not a code. It means exactly what it means.

Thattwatoverthere · 02/12/2019 23:03

I was only thinking about this the other day. My OH and I have both been under the same consultant. My letter described me as very pleasant, his just says right handed. I did wonder what he'd done to piss him off

pbdr · 02/12/2019 23:17

I often use positive adjectives when I am referring my patients (from GP). When you get to know patients well and develop a relationship with them, it can feel odd and almost minimising to refer to them as just a '60 year old man', when you have long known them so individually as an interesting, complex character with all their quirks, wrapped in the context of a family and community. I think in some ways when I write about how lovely a patient is I am trying to say to the specialist; "this person matters to me and they should matter to you too".

BlouseAndSkirt · 02/12/2019 23:22

Weird.
Why do they include this irrelevant subjective guff?

What’s wring with facts and Useful individual detail?
‘ I would like to introduce my patient xyz , who presented with abc symptoms, blah blah tests, she is a single parent to babies / is concerned about / it may help to
Mention that she has shared with me her fear if blood tests /MRI machines”

BlouseAndSkirt · 02/12/2019 23:25

Cross posted: pbdr I can understand that, but all these people described as ‘pleasant ‘: it sounds like faintly damning praise!

Justwanttotravel · 02/12/2019 23:29

Christ, what was sexist about it???

lazymum99 · 03/12/2019 12:46

Watch out for a diagnosis that says 'idiopathic'. I think it means they haven't a clue what you got!

CatteStreet · 03/12/2019 12:52

That's nice to read, pbdr, and an interesting different perspective, but I can't help feeling these judgements on the character of people are actually incredibly patronising and paternalistic. Like a verbal pat on the head. As if the bestowal on me of your assessment of my character mattered. Being treated as another human being will do me just fine, thank you.

CatteStreet · 03/12/2019 12:53

Doctors don't do this where I live; it's factual info only: '...our patient X, DOB xx.xx.xxxx, who presented with Y'. It doesn't feel demeaning or dehumanising at all.

changeforprivacy · 03/12/2019 12:56

I had "hypochondria abdo pain"
I'm not thick. Knew exactly what it meant.

Erm, I suspect you didn't...

changeforprivacy · 03/12/2019 12:57

Watch out for a diagnosis that says 'idiopathic'. I think it means they haven't a clue what you got!

Idiopathic means cause unknown. Not illness unknown.

ArnoldBee · 03/12/2019 13:04

I have it in writing from the consultant that we are sensible parents!

FixTheBone · 03/12/2019 13:08

I start all of my letters with ' I saw xyz in my clinic today.....'

There can be no benefit to subjective terminology in clinical documentation or correspondence. The only time it'll ever be scrutinized is if there is a complaint, or if something goes wrong, and if that happens, you definitely don't want letters littered with delightful, arrogant, or anything else...

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