Broken Toe Blues

In days when doctors are overworked and stressed out, it seems there is little time for a polite bedside manner. “Do no harm” should extend to feelings of patients, but it seems that polite doctors are on the decline, and when you do get one, it is an anomaly. It is a pity, that in Huron County, Ontario, that there is a doctor shortage, in Goderich for example, we are last on a four thousand plus waiting list. Clinton is not taking new patients. In Wingham, where our wonderful Dr. Clare practiced, (recently retired) they have only one doctor in the Medical Clinic, and being an “orphan”, you are forced to use the Emergency, or try to schedule through an Orphan Clinic. There are no “walk in” clinics in this area, and when faced with an “emergency”, you are to go to the Hospital Emergency . It seems straightforward, but in actuality, it is dependent on what is defined as an “emergency”. In my experience, unless you are over the age of 70, or bleeding from the eyes, try to avoid the emergency room at all costs. My husband, who spends nine hours a day, running after vehicles in a car factory, fell on Saturday night. Sunday morning, I phoned the Wingham and District Hospital, and explained that he may have broken his toe. The helpful nurse said that if it didn’t feel any better to come in and get it checked out at 9:00 am on Monday, when x-ray was available. To my husband, as he spends so much time on his feet (30,000 steps per day- I used a pedometer when I worked at his place of occupation), foot pain or the prospect of a broken toe is an emergency. If he can’t keep up with the cars being built, he slows down the line, and possibly could be written up or disciplined. The toe was not better on Monday. After waiting for approximately four hours, we were “seen”. The doctor, hurriedly, looked at the foot, said “This is going to hurt”, wiggled it around. My husband squirmed in pain. He looked at his other foot, decided that his toes were “deformed” anyhow. We said why we were concerned about his foot, where he worked and that he needed a doctor’s note. He said “I am not his babysitter, the note will cost you ten dollars, I can’t just be giving out notes” . I responded “the money for the note is not an issue, as we are concerned about the foot”. “He is not disabled” he said. “That is not what we are asking, we need to know if he has a broken toe”, I replied. The doctor’s comments were unneeded, and judgmental and unjustified. If the doctor in question thought that my husband was trying to get a day off, he was sorely mistaken. My husband does not get paid for his sick days, he is only allowed 10 days per year, and all have to be documented. My husband does not take sick days as a rule. The idea of spending four hours in the emergency room, is not my idea of a “good time”nor my husbands', it may be someone’s form of social life, but being a germophobe, I would rather eat razor blades. He sent him to X-Ray. While waiting in the cast room, I spoke with my husband, who was upset over the attitude of the doctor. From watching the people drift in and out of the Emergency area, it seemed that if you had grey hair, respect and cordiality was given. We were the youngest there, and I realize that a broken toe, on the emergency scale, is one of the lowest priorities. My husband and I were called by him to look at the x-ray. He asked “Mr. Bieman, and you are. . . .his daughter?’ I replied “uuhhh thanks, but I am his wife” ( Did this relationship matter?, Was it a method of consolation that was taught in med school?). He led us over to the x-ray . It was not broken. The doctor’s tone had changed. He may have overheard me in the cast room, complaining about the rude and judgmental treatment, he may have been able to have a rest, who knows. I told him that “we did not come in to waste his time, we realize they are busy, but we were concerned about his foot”, twice (using the broken record technique). He wrote up a note, I asked where to pay for it, “Don’t worry about it “ was the reply, and then went into a wonderful explanation of Tylenol and Ibuprofen. If he could have had this attitude at the onset of the visit, it would have been less stressful, and a better representation of the hospital experience as a whole). Yes, he somewhat redeemed himself in the end. Yet, I cannot help but feel that this doctor, who is a representative of the Wingham and District Hospital, should be acting as a model for the hospital, and the medical system as a whole. Regardless of the injury or illness, people should be treated with respect. We were not grubby looking, we may have looked young. And should appearance matter? (Not!) We may have even caught him on a bad day. (Not likely, I dealt with him before , ( I blacked out in a car that I was working on at the plant, due to a dizziness, nausea, and stomach problem which was dismissed by him, and turned out to be a precursor to a worse illness and pneumonia-- but, I was too afraid to go back to emergency or see any kind of doctor, for fear of judgment, and let it go on for weeks before seeking treatment again). Our tax dollars are paying for a system that is flawed. Doctor’s are paid well for doing a job, a career that is an important one. A career that takes a lot of education, a lot of money, but becomes a status symbol. Having the title of Doctor infront of your name carries weight and respect. It is a career that people need to put their faith in, because we (the people) are trusting that good judgments will be made. Yet doctor’s should not have a “God Complex”, and possibly should refrain from watching "House". Unfortunately, not only are you afraid to use the services that your tax dollars pay for, but you are at the mercy of someone who can belittle and dismiss you, while simultaneously, as a patient, you are trying to trust them. As a layman, you are forced to define emergency, and put your trust and faith in those that are there to help. My suggestion to the Wingham and District Hospital or any hospital~~have a list of ailments that you do not want to treat, turn people away at the door, if you do not want to be bothered, or are having a bad day, sluff people off before they sit down for the long wait. Better yet - make them an appointment at your “Orphan Clinic”. That way, you are defining an emergency, as you are the “professionals”, and you should start acting that way. Oh, and as an end note. . .the toe was considered broken by "professional" medical staff in Cambridge, Ontario.