Unprofessional medical doctor

[Rocket Raccoon]

I agree, bad bedside manners. However, I do think the doctor could have been joking. He/she may also only wanted to contact you because you were paying for the visit. Not sure if that is relevant but doctors are generally quite professional.

She should stop watching Scrubs.

 

[ShaunSA]

I am shocked.

No I am shocked. How do you know he said "You're pregnant!" and not "You're pregnant?"

 

[porchrat]

This is a GP, not a gynaecologist. Do GPs ever use ultrasound?

They are trained to. Not to the level of a Obs and Gynae but still they know how to use it. Urinology knows too. A GP should still be able to be relatively confident that someone is pregnant at later stages without a blood test. Early on you would need that HCG level

In any event, she did not use it,so there is no way she can tell for sure if the patient is pregnant.

You can listen for a heartbeat too. This is all later stage stuff though. Early on that isn't a viable method. Remember we only came up with immunoassays as a principle (like the ones used to detect for HCG levels) around 1960. Before that we were still able to determine whether or not people were pregnant, just not as early as we can now (in some cases within a mere 48 hours of fertilisation - awesome).

 

[blunomore]

The domestic 's English is very well, there are no language issues.

 

[blunomore]

They are trained to. Not to the level of a Obs and Gynae but still they know how to use it. Urinology knows too. A GP should still be able to be relatively confident that someone is pregnant at later stages without a blood test. Early on you would need that HCG level



You can listen for a heartbeat too. This is all later stage stuff though. Early on that isn't a viable method. Remember we only came up with immunoassays as a principle (like the ones used to detect for HCG levels) around 1960. Before that we were still able to determine whether or not people were pregnant, just not as early as we can now (in some cases within a mere 48 hours of fertilisation - awesome).

She used none of those methods. She looked at a tummy that was swollen/bloated and said "You're pregnant!"

Big difference between what they are trained to be able to do and what she actually did.

 

[lived666]

whatever.

Dr deals with issues like this on a daily basis and I bet 99% of domestics agree or want their employee to know

 

[porchrat]

The GP is a female.

LOL somehow I found it difficult to imagine that a woman would be that insensitive. I just assumed this doctor was a man.

Shows how low my opinion of my own gender is.

What would be the reason for her wanting to give me private medical information about a patient of hers? The relationship between me and the domestic worker is none of her business.

She could just think that as an employer you would want to know that there was a valid reason for her visit and she wasn't just faking or something I suppose. Like I said it isn't usually the doctor's responsibility but the ethical problem for me is when a medical professional spills the beans on someone's medical information without consent.

 

[porchrat]

She used none of those methods. She looked at a tummy that was swollen/bloated and said "You're pregnant!"

Big difference between what they are trained to be able to do and what she actually did.

Oh yea for sure. I was just pointing out that you can actually determine whether or not someone is pregnant without a blood test. That was just a side point I thought you might find interesting and not necessarily related to this specific incident.

 

[w1z4rd]

The domestic 's English is very well, there are no language issues.

Well, at least not with her

 

[blunomore]

Oh yea for sure. I was just pointing out that you can actually determine whether or not someone is pregnant without a blood test. That was just a side point I thought you might find interesting and not necessarily related to this specific incident.

I have a child; I am aware of that

 

[porchrat]

Yeah I do that in my job as well. I see an issue, say what it is, and find out I am completely wrong as I investigate more. I often look like a tit by jumping the gun... as this doctor did.

Fair point. We tend to think of doctors as above this sort of thing when we hypocritically do it in our own lines of work.

 

[blunomore]

She could just think that as an employer you would want to know that there was a valid reason for her visit and she wasn't just faking or something I suppose. Like I said it isn't usually the doctor's responsibility but the ethical problem for me is when a medical professional spills the beans on someone's medical information without consent.

Maybe.

I suppose because I read law, I am always aware of people's rights - in this case the right to privacy of medical information.

 

[azbob]

Maybe it's an inside joke. The doctor says it to everyone. A guy comes in with a broken arm. "you're pregnant!"

 

[porchrat]

I have a child; I am aware of that

You said in the OP: "How can a GP EVER tell you that you're pregnant without doing blood tests???"

I was just responding to that. There are ways. Archaic ways (and I would expect a GP to order the immunoassay tests as opposed ot relying on those old often incredibly inaccurate ways), but there are still ways.

 

[ShaunSA]

Maybe it's an inside joke. The doctor says it to everyone. A guy comes in with a broken arm. "you're pregnant!"

I still think we can't go by what Blu is saying her Nanny said the Doctor said. In fact I'm willing to bet there is loads lots in translation somewhere along the line.

 

[blunomore]

You said in the OP: "How can a GP EVER tell you that you're pregnant without doing blood tests???"

I was just responding to that. There are ways. Archaic ways (and I would expect a GP to order the immunoassay tests as opposed ot relying on those old often incredibly inaccurate ways), but there are still ways.

True, I am speaking in general about GPs.

The GPs I know do not perform sonar examinations, etc so they rely on blood tests to confirm pregnancy. I am also saying this because my employee had a slightly swollen tummy, she did not look hugely pregnant for the GP to make such an assumption.

 

[porchrat]

True, I am speaking in general about GPs.

The GPs I know do not perform sonar examinations, etc so they rely on blood tests to confirm pregnancy. I am also saying this because my employee had a slightly swollen tummy, she did not look hugely pregnant for the GP to make such an assumption.

OK see we didn't have that sort of information to go on. I hear "swollen tummy" and imagine "3rd trimesteresque belly proportions".

Seems the GP was silly to simply declare pregnancy under those conditions. Should have, as you say, ordered the immunoassays.

 

[lived666]

pfft, you weren't there, I bet she said more like " Are you pregnant?"

Sounds like you actually had a very professional GP here, asking for permission and whatnot.

 

[Humberto]

A while ago, one of my employees (a female) had health problems and I undertook to pay for her to visit a GP close to where we live. She went there and what shocking and unprofessional treatment by this doctor!

1. The employee's stomach was swollen/bloated and the Dr immediately said: "You're pregnant!" How can a GP EVER tell you that you're pregnant without doing blood tests???

2. My employee explained to the GP that she is not pregnant. She then continued the examination and exclaimed "You have a fibroid and it is huge!" Since when is that the way to convey medical diagnosis to a patient in such a way? Bedside manner !!!

3. The worst is yet to come: The Dr asked my employee if she can phone me to tell me the diagnosis. What in the ever-loving ****??? What happened to the concept that medical information is confidential??

I am shocked.

Were you present during the examination?

 

[Singal]

pfft, you weren't there, I bet she said more like " Are you pregnant?"

Sounds like you actually had a very professional GP here, asking for permission and whatnot.

Possible, or she could have been like the GP I went to when I was very recently married. No blood test, no scan, no urine test. Just felt my tummy and told me I was pregnant. He wasn't unprofessional, he was a bloody idiot!