I’ve been working at the Kaiser clinic this week. After two years of working only as a hospitalist (managing hospitalized patients) it is a bit of culture shock to again see out-patients.
“My urine smells strong after eating broccoli. What should I do?” (um, either don’t eat broccoli or don’t sniff your shi-shi)
“I stepped on a sea urchin. What do I do?” (ask the other guy if you can have his urine to soak your foot in…..) (But don’t sniff it….)
And the inevitable “I have a sniffle, so I need strong antibiotics…..”
I jokingly complain about such frivolous office visits, but it again reminds me of what a mess our health care system is. When “insurance” pays (not “me”….) there is no sense of appropriate use of resources.
I was also (again) reminded what a multicultural place this is. I see Hawaiians, Haoles, Phillipino, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese and endless combinations of Hapa (mixed race). And so I actually said it to one of my patients as she left today…the phrase I REALLY don’t like. Because she could have been Christian. Or New Age Hippie. Or Buddhist. Or Shinto. Or Jewish. Or Muslim. Or any combination of the above. I gave in and and wished her “Happy Holidays!”
…and to you to…whatever your persuasion!
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