The doctor IS right

I've been following Dr. Val for a while, and I have to say, part of the reason is that I get her. I get what's she's talking about because I work in rehab.

Physiatrists get rehab, since they train in a specialty known as Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. I happen to work with wonderful physiatrists who have years of experience.

And I have thought the same thing when I have read and seen certain specialists, like Eric Topol  in the media. It would be nice to sum up everything we do into a little smartphone app, but it will never happen in this lifetime. Disclaimer: My work actually includes a whole lot of technological interventions.

If we ever get to smartphone-only health care, I fear for everyone who does get a diagnosis, like spinal cord injury, that can benefit from a rehab program by specially trained staff, just like ours at the Hotel.

Cheap is one thing, and quality is another. You can have both to a certain degree; however, we do have to be careful what we wish for. It may not be good enough after all, cheap or no.

Stay tuned....

Duude! Can she work on me?

RIIIGHT! Thanks Grumpy! I'm sharing this with the docs at work. They will be total windblown by the whole thing.

The Rehabilitator

Glam up your physiatry practice with one little device. Wind machine, comic book profile and mod outfit not included.

Might even convince more people to get invasive tests and procedures.

A shout out to the docs

Yes, some physicians seem to think lately the nurses are out to get them. That we don't appreciate them. That we're conspiring.

Why? Because we talk amongst ourselves in online forums, blogs, etc., when we see injustice perpetrated in our hospital, in our state, in our nation. Injustice meted out by insurance companies, circumstance and by our fellow human beings.

And yes, some people think if we disagree with one thing, we're automatically against all physicians. So, I'm forced to use those debate team skills and favorite marketing tricks to demonstrate that I'm not.

Some days I am in awe of the physicians with whom I work. The physiatrists who know just how to stop spasms that wrack people with pain. The internists who craft treatment plans for some of our awful medical messes patients find themselves in. The surgeon, who even though he can be surly, stops everything in the hallway and says, "Do you need me? I'll be right there." when they page him from the floor.

Luckily for me, in my little world at the Hotel, respect is a two-way street. I make sure Dr. X gets coffee when she shows up because she takes care of my surliest patient first, and by the time he's done, he's singing. It makes life much better for me. When that spasm-reducing physiatrist Dr. Y sees me in the hall, she stops me to ask me what I think and she thanks me when I help her. Dr. Z, who works with us remotely, stays on task and does whatever she can for our patients to make them comfortable, and she teaches me something every day, by her actions, her demeanor, and her enthusiasm.

As the saying goes, there is no I in team. It's a good lesson to remember.

Stay tuned...