Hippocratic or Hypocritic?

As I told you before, my daughter is having her first baby. While it's always so exciting to await the arrival of your firstborne, it's also a very scary time. Let's face it...even thought there are hundreds of books out there not one of them can tell you if YOUR baby will be healthy, what YOUR labor will be like, exactly WHEN this blessed event will commence. My daughter has been very concientious about educating herself on the processes but she's naturally still a little apprehensive. So are you wondering why I'm telling you this? Because she has run into some of the most impolite, uncaring health professionals you can imagine!!! I bet if doctors heard how some of their staff treat patients they would send out pink slips by the dozens! And some doctors should be videotaped and tied to a chair while they are forced to watch re-runs of their bedside manner (or lack thereof!). Fortunately she found a wonderful OB/GYN whose office staff is considerate and compassionate. Likewise with a pediatrician. The point is, she "interviewed" many doctors and their staff before making her choices of providers. As an informed health consumer she was able to eliminate the services of those physicians who had rude office staff and who themselves were not empathetic enough to go a few extra steps to provide explanations for a first-time pregnancy. Sometimes I think we should change the oath to "hypocritic" from Hippocratic. Treat your patients as you would want to be treated. Nurses, doctors, let's treat our patients as if they were your favorite relative. A little kindness goes a long way. Not to mention...the word gets out......

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