Bucks Montgomery Physician Summer 2021 - 20

CREATIVE CORNER
by Christopher Drumm, MD
Norristown Family Physicians, Einstein Medical Center Montgomery
S
ometimes you can hear a " yelp " even before you
enter a room. You can hear them a few rooms
away. It may be kidney stones, a slipped disc, or
the gout. This was the yelping I was ready for when I
entered medical school. Bringing a calm presence to
the room so that I can evaluate and develop a plan.
Making sure that patients know we will have a plan to
help decrease the acute pain that is providing a " yelp. "
But this is not the yelp that physicians now deal with. Yelp
is a public business founded in 2004 that publishes crowdsourced
reviews about businesses. This has led to many
different companies developing websites where patients can
go to document both the good and bad about their physician
experiences. You can go to Health Grades or Vitals and
basically write whatever you would like about your experience.
Who uses these apps? Mostly 2 types of people; those
that are appreciative of the care, or super critical. It
seems that some people as a hobby enjoy pointing out
everything that went wrong. I feel worse for restaurants
and hotels, but they are not quite as personal. If you ever
are feeling great about yourself, take some time and google
your name. Every displeased patient has put to keyboard
your deficiencies. I use this as a time to fight back.
This is my time to push back on the things that are written
about myself and others on the internet. I am absolutely
trying to improve as a physician. And I need constructive
criticism, but the amount of yelping is getting out of control.
Especially if you use this time to comment on physician's
physical appearance. Yes, I realize that since the pandemic
started that I have not gotten a haircut. And yes, I realize
that I have a ponytail at this time but that does not affect the
care given. Please stop discussing my hair on the internet.
18 BUCKS/MONTGOMERY PHYSICIAN summer 2021
Pain medicine. There are debates about chronic pain
medicine. Currently my office has decided to not treat
chronic pain with opiates. There are pain management
doctors that we can help with trying to control chronic
pain. Yet the most common complaint being yelped
about is that the doctor allowed me to be in pain. I first
always try to acknowledge the experience pain patients
are in and come up with a plan to try and overall reduce
pain and functioning. But it is time to stop yelping about
doctors not giving the controlled medicines you ask for.
Wait times. I get to work early. Every physician is only one
patient away from being behind. Many patients come in
with lists and then wonder why their appointment is not
happening right on time. Just an FYI for patients. I got
here early. All of you are the reason that then I am running
late. I rarely turn away a patient for being late and it is time
to stop posting about how long you waited to see me.
The honest truth is that most patients are writing very nice
things on the internet. But human nature makes us focus
on the few negative things written. I really try not to read
all of them, but I am human. I have googled myself and my
reviews. I encourage the rest of you to try your best to avoid
reading the reviews sent our way. Also, I wish my mother
and my aunt would stop googling my reviews. My mom loves
to tell me she read about how great my bedside manner is
on the internet. Also, she asks me what my plan is to stay
on time throughout the day. After reading the internet my
aunt and mother had been discussing ideas on how I could
better stay on time. Thanks Yelp. Thanks for nothing.
Bucks Montgomery Physician Summer 2021

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