Did ya'll here about the woman in NH who filed a complaint against her physician for calling her obese. Here is the link to the story http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9063638/#storyContinued
Autumn
Autumn
Doctor in trouble for calling patient obese
- Thread starter autumn
- Start date
In my early twenties I had gained some extra weight. My doctor told me, "you need to grab the bull by the horns and do something about this, because I am afraid you are going to be very unhappy if you don't." I wasn't offended in the least. I wasn't obese, I just turned from trim to a little chubby.
Doctor's have an obligation to inform their patients of unhealthy behaviours. They aren't your mother or your friend. They shouldn't turn a blind eye. Unfortunately a lot of them do. People are very sensitive. I don't believe in coming out and saying mean things, but I do believe that this patient shouldn't of been offended over her doctor's advice.
And my story--I gained more weight after my doc told me to take the bull by the horns. It wasn't his fault of course. It was mine. He was right, I was miserable. I wish I would of listened then.
Lori
Doctor's have an obligation to inform their patients of unhealthy behaviours. They aren't your mother or your friend. They shouldn't turn a blind eye. Unfortunately a lot of them do. People are very sensitive. I don't believe in coming out and saying mean things, but I do believe that this patient shouldn't of been offended over her doctor's advice.
And my story--I gained more weight after my doc told me to take the bull by the horns. It wasn't his fault of course. It was mine. He was right, I was miserable. I wish I would of listened then.
Lori
andtckrtoo
Cathlete
I kind of have mixed emotions on this one. I absolutely agree that it's not only a doctor's right but a doctor's duty to inform his/her patient the risks of obesity and recommend a diet. My doctor did that to me (I was not obese, but I was overweight) and I most certainly wasn't offended. He simply told me where I was and where I should be to be healthy and what I would "gain" from losing weight.
I have heard this doctor interviewed, though, and I think he went a little too far. He says he continued because she did not appear to be listening, but I think he did cross the line. He was telling her that her dh, who is also obese would die first, and then what would she do for companionship? She would never be able to find a man who was interested in her if she didn't lose weight. What does that have to do with losing weight for health reasons?
Anyway, my two cents.
I have heard this doctor interviewed, though, and I think he went a little too far. He says he continued because she did not appear to be listening, but I think he did cross the line. He was telling her that her dh, who is also obese would die first, and then what would she do for companionship? She would never be able to find a man who was interested in her if she didn't lose weight. What does that have to do with losing weight for health reasons?
Anyway, my two cents.
Imafitnessfreak
Cathlete
Autumn, I tried to e-mail you back but my e-mail was returned "undeliverable". I have some information for you, I just need to know your age and what e-mail address will work. Feel free to pm me!;-)
Imafitnessfreak
Cathlete
If that doctor did NOT tell her that she was obese and needed to lose weight to save her life and she developed diabetes...she'd be suing him for THAT!!
I'm obese........but not for long. I feel like the real me is trapped in this body. I know exactly what to do to lose the weight and stay healthy.......I have just been lazy. When I went in November of 2004 to get a physical , I asked the Dr." Am I obese?" He said "Yes, but you don't have to be". I didn't get mad at him , because I knew that my condition was my fault and my fault only. I am VERY strong physically, I just have to lose the fat covering it.
futurefitnessdyanmo
Cathlete
Have to weigh in on this, since I think it gets right at that juncture between appropriate and PC gone awry.
I think doctors should be free to tell us things that relate to health, even if these things happen to also be social issues around which there is discrimination. Obesity is one of those things. Smoking could be considered another. Many smokers may view their doctors as being judgmental when they bring up the smoking issue, but your doctor is not your friend, is not (hopefully) being judgmental (this is not always true), and should be free to be adamant if necessary about behavioral change you should make.
If the doctor in this article spoke about attractiveness and finding a new partner, however, I agree he went too far. This is judgmental, its focusing on weight as an issue of attractiveness, not health, and it reflects a bias on the part of the doctor. Worst of all, though, it alienates the patient, makes them feel bad, and is worthless in creating the essential motivation to change behavior. In effect, it totally backfires and hurts other doctors who need to have the freedom to comment on obesity as a health issue.
Also, I have to add this. I taught Health Psychology at the University of Georgia, and one thing that research shows that I do believe all doctors could benefit from knowing is that FEAR TACTICS DO NOT WORK unless they are paired with a simple formula for change. Simply said, if you plan to scare someone with a statement of the potential harm of their behavior, you better be ready with a formula they can follow for changing it. Otherwise, all you do with fear tactoics is create a situation where the person feels the need to justify their harmful behavior ("what I'm doing isn't THAT extreme, that'll never happen to me!"), which equals continuing it AND NOT LISTENING TO YOUR MESSAGE ANYMORE. Bad outcome.
I think doctors should be free to tell us things that relate to health, even if these things happen to also be social issues around which there is discrimination. Obesity is one of those things. Smoking could be considered another. Many smokers may view their doctors as being judgmental when they bring up the smoking issue, but your doctor is not your friend, is not (hopefully) being judgmental (this is not always true), and should be free to be adamant if necessary about behavioral change you should make.
If the doctor in this article spoke about attractiveness and finding a new partner, however, I agree he went too far. This is judgmental, its focusing on weight as an issue of attractiveness, not health, and it reflects a bias on the part of the doctor. Worst of all, though, it alienates the patient, makes them feel bad, and is worthless in creating the essential motivation to change behavior. In effect, it totally backfires and hurts other doctors who need to have the freedom to comment on obesity as a health issue.
Also, I have to add this. I taught Health Psychology at the University of Georgia, and one thing that research shows that I do believe all doctors could benefit from knowing is that FEAR TACTICS DO NOT WORK unless they are paired with a simple formula for change. Simply said, if you plan to scare someone with a statement of the potential harm of their behavior, you better be ready with a formula they can follow for changing it. Otherwise, all you do with fear tactoics is create a situation where the person feels the need to justify their harmful behavior ("what I'm doing isn't THAT extreme, that'll never happen to me!"), which equals continuing it AND NOT LISTENING TO YOUR MESSAGE ANYMORE. Bad outcome.
I was hoping someone would have more information. I agree that health care providers have an responsibility to discuss health issues in a appropriate language. "He was telling her that her dh, who is also obese would die first, and then what would she do for companionship? She would never be able to find a man who was interested in her if she didn't lose weight"... I agree this would be inappropriate.
Thanks for the additional info!
Thanks for the additional info!
This is so true Sarah. It is amazing what clients don't hear and claim they were never told. I give SPECIFIC instructions to my clients regarding contraceptives, paps, etc., and some don't hear a word. But, I think I lose my hearing when I go for my pap too. Anyway, you make a valid point. I would hope this woman is requesting an investigation for the manner the doctor apporached the subject.
Oh, and I pm'd ya.
Anyway, you make a valid point. I would hope this woman is requesting an investigation for the manner the doctor apporached the subject.Oh, and I pm'd ya.
Aquajock
Cathlete
The ironies in this story are too many to count on the fingers and toes of the average citizen.
This patient obviously is doing all she can to shoot the messenger. And I do think that if this doctor had admonished her about smoking, none of this collateral hoopla would ever have taken place; it's far more acceptable to bash one's smoking habit than to bash one's overconsumption and underexertion habits.
FFD makes a good point: to admonish without a true strategy for change is next to useless. And, doctors have far more good, on-point information about effective treatments for smoking cessation, chemical abuse, dependency and addiction treatment and so on than they have for fat-loss. And the amount of ignorance in the traditional medical profession regarding the simple A-B-C's of exercise physiology is truly frightening. We here on the Cathe forums probably know more than most licensed general pracitioners about exercise science.
A-Jock
This patient obviously is doing all she can to shoot the messenger. And I do think that if this doctor had admonished her about smoking, none of this collateral hoopla would ever have taken place; it's far more acceptable to bash one's smoking habit than to bash one's overconsumption and underexertion habits.
FFD makes a good point: to admonish without a true strategy for change is next to useless. And, doctors have far more good, on-point information about effective treatments for smoking cessation, chemical abuse, dependency and addiction treatment and so on than they have for fat-loss. And the amount of ignorance in the traditional medical profession regarding the simple A-B-C's of exercise physiology is truly frightening. We here on the Cathe forums probably know more than most licensed general pracitioners about exercise science.
A-Jock
obesity and healthcare
Right, I find patient education is extremely lacking. For instance, doctors tell patients all the time to "quit smoking", "lose weight". "Cut the salt out in your diet" For somebody that is set in their ways and doesn't know a flip about nutrition, what does that mean? In our culture we have a loads of information at our fingertips. Still, a lot of people need to be told, and given a strategy and a plan.
Patient teaching is lacking in all areas of healthcare. I saw it while I was working as a nurse, as a patient, etc. We must do our own research and become informed.
Lori
Right, I find patient education is extremely lacking. For instance, doctors tell patients all the time to "quit smoking", "lose weight". "Cut the salt out in your diet" For somebody that is set in their ways and doesn't know a flip about nutrition, what does that mean? In our culture we have a loads of information at our fingertips. Still, a lot of people need to be told, and given a strategy and a plan.
Patient teaching is lacking in all areas of healthcare. I saw it while I was working as a nurse, as a patient, etc. We must do our own research and become informed.
Lori
I saw this doctor interviewed on the Today Show. My feeling is that doctors in private practice can say whatever they want. Clients/patients are free to go elsewhere if they don't like the doctor's manner. When did Americans become such crybabies?!
Sparrow
__________________
www.scifichics.com
Sparrow
__________________
www.scifichics.com
Carol_is_fit
Cathlete
>I saw this doctor interviewed on the Today Show. My feeling
>is that doctors in private practice can say whatever they
>want. Clients/patients are free to go elsewhere if they don't
>like the doctor's manner. When did Americans become such
>crybabies?!
>
>Sparrow
>
>__________________
>www.scifichics.com
Sparrow, loved your post! Americans became a bunch of crybabies when the courts became tolerant of frivolous lawsuits.
Just for the record, I do think some of this physician's comments were a bit out there, but I'm sure he believed he had his patient's best interests at heart. As others have suggested, it's difficult to hear a message like that when you aren't ready to, and far easier to shoot the messenger instead of taking the heart of the message and using it to effect healthy change. Making changes in your life is very hard work (as we all know!), and some people aren't ready for that. Some people will never be ready for it. It's got to be an individual choice or all the "messages" in the world won't matter to that person.
Carol
>is that doctors in private practice can say whatever they
>want. Clients/patients are free to go elsewhere if they don't
>like the doctor's manner. When did Americans become such
>crybabies?!
>
>Sparrow
>
>__________________
>www.scifichics.com
Sparrow, loved your post! Americans became a bunch of crybabies when the courts became tolerant of frivolous lawsuits.
Just for the record, I do think some of this physician's comments were a bit out there, but I'm sure he believed he had his patient's best interests at heart. As others have suggested, it's difficult to hear a message like that when you aren't ready to, and far easier to shoot the messenger instead of taking the heart of the message and using it to effect healthy change. Making changes in your life is very hard work (as we all know!), and some people aren't ready for that. Some people will never be ready for it. It's got to be an individual choice or all the "messages" in the world won't matter to that person.
Carol
Miss Lee
Cathlete
RE: obesity and healthcare
>Patient teaching is lacking in all areas of healthcare. I saw
>it while I was working as a nurse, as a patient, etc. We must
>do our own research and become informed.
>
>Lori
I'm a nurse as well and I couldn't agree with you more! I think the primary responsibility of a nurse is to teach. And not only do I think it is a must for people to do their own research, I think it is their duty. I also think it can be very difficult to assess how much a patient truly understands. I've had people tell me they understand and, with multiple opportunities offered, deny that they have any questions. Every time I gave instructions to my patients, I had them turn around and explain it back to me so I could determine how much they truly understood. But you know, people become overwhelmed and then they forget. It's a hard thing.
Another problem with medicine is that we have so little time to instruct our patients. Let's face it, with the current insurance structure very little is alotted for patient eduaction. I worked in home health for a number of years and we had to be very creative in our recording in order to get visits approved. Back then, we could not get reimbursement for patient education. It used to be tough, especially with someone like a new diabetic. We could not go into the home just to teach about diet and insulin. We had to find another reason. Can you believe it!? Let's face it, I'm talking here about adult onset diabetes and obese patients that at age 65, had to suddenly change a lifetime of behavior and eating habits. I can tell you, they received very little instruction--it just simply was not an approved activity. I'm sure you have a million stories just like it. So sad.:-(
Michele
>Patient teaching is lacking in all areas of healthcare. I saw
>it while I was working as a nurse, as a patient, etc. We must
>do our own research and become informed.
>
>Lori
I'm a nurse as well and I couldn't agree with you more! I think the primary responsibility of a nurse is to teach. And not only do I think it is a must for people to do their own research, I think it is their duty. I also think it can be very difficult to assess how much a patient truly understands. I've had people tell me they understand and, with multiple opportunities offered, deny that they have any questions. Every time I gave instructions to my patients, I had them turn around and explain it back to me so I could determine how much they truly understood. But you know, people become overwhelmed and then they forget. It's a hard thing.
Another problem with medicine is that we have so little time to instruct our patients. Let's face it, with the current insurance structure very little is alotted for patient eduaction. I worked in home health for a number of years and we had to be very creative in our recording in order to get visits approved. Back then, we could not get reimbursement for patient education. It used to be tough, especially with someone like a new diabetic. We could not go into the home just to teach about diet and insulin. We had to find another reason. Can you believe it!? Let's face it, I'm talking here about adult onset diabetes and obese patients that at age 65, had to suddenly change a lifetime of behavior and eating habits. I can tell you, they received very little instruction--it just simply was not an approved activity. I'm sure you have a million stories just like it. So sad.:-(
Michele
