My mom's doctor told her to vote for Romney

[marlakay]

So last night my mom comes for holiday and she says my doctor told me to vote for Romney. When I held out and said no way am I going to change my mind from Obama he told me that I was only patient he hadn't been able to change their mind.

Thank god my 85 yr old mom is tough! But I was angry, I am sure he scared a bunch of older patients who wanted their doctor to like them into changing their mind.

It just seems wrong to me to use his job that way. I have never had a doctor talk politics to me. Maybe a vacation but that's it.

[BlueToTheBone]

1. Time to find a new doctor.

I always interview and if they're republics, I don't do business with them. I have changed doctors and dentists. It's my only vote; and besides, I wouldn't trust him/her to be actually thinking about me while I'm in their care.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. What he did was wrong and unprofessional.

He should probably be reported.

How dare he?

[Tutonic]

4. I've referred his information to the Death Panel already.

Sorry, you left the door wide open on that one. Happy Thanksgiving.

[RegieRocker]

3. Run dont walk away from this doctor

he no longer has your health best interests in mind.

[patrice]

6. +++++++++1

[Cooley Hurd]

5. This clown shouldn't be a doctor...

...since his only focus is compensation. Of course, this clown can't see the forest for the trees, since ACA would increase his patient base, which equals more $$$ in this clown's bank account.

He's probably the same type of dr that bitches about having to achieve "Meaningful Use" with his EMR (electronic medical records), despite the fact that, if he does attest to CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Studies) that he's using his EMR meaningfully, the government will pay for it.

Some people think that all doctors are smart.

[patrice]

8. THANKS! for that link. It's Wikipedia; can it be trusted? I want to use it, but I'm also pretty

particular about what I'm doing with this issue.

[Cooley Hurd]

11. I read thru it and found nothing objectionable...

I'm in the biz (EMR/EHR) and, despite perceived issues with privacy (which is heavily regulated by HIPAA), it's probably the best trend to hit healthcare since the invention of the stethoscope.

Most EHR's has built-in checks to prevent drs from making mistakes (especially in prescriptions), and allows for your chart to be portable (meaning if you're halfway around the world, your dr can have access to your complete medical record almost instantaneously). This might very-well save your life.

[patrice]

13. Yes! My family and I have lots of experience standing around waiting for someone to find

something out about our elders, while others seem to be avoiding us, because they are short-handed (and trying to do what they CAN about others whom they do have an idea about the plan of action) & most are afraid to incur some (undefined because of the lack of certain information) level of "unauthorized" responsibility that is increased by their own actions.

[Autumn Colors]

30. The best trend to hit healthcare?

Not from my point of view. I'm a medical transcriptionist and what I thought was the normal "summer slow time" turned out to be a permanent, sudden loss of nearly all of my income.... first I laid off everyone who worked for me since what was left wasn't even enough work for me to do on my own. I persevered in continuing to try to find new work so I could stay afloat. Then, I could no longer afford my own health insurance and had to drop it. Then I lost my house to foreclosure.

So yeah, EMRs haven't been very good for me personally, thanks.

[Cooley Hurd]

42. Don't blame EMR, blame Dragon Naturally Speaking...

Our software was a pioneer in improving the experience of transcriptionists by allowing for instantaneous, offsite access to voice notes. Then, Nuance bought Dragon, improved the product - including a special "Medical" version - which was more cost effective for practices to employ than traditional transcriptionists.

I'm not the biggest fan of Dragon, but it took the place of the transcriptionist, much in the way the carriage gave way to the automobile. How did the carriage makers react? They adapted their business by removing the horse attachment from the carriage and replaced it with an engine compartment.

In that same vein, I recommend getting into Dragon Support and Training. There's a HUMONGOUS hole there. I have providers constantly asking for Dragon trainers, yet I can only offer a few names for a 6-state area.

You will have to make an initial investment of the software - and perhaps certification from Nuance - but you can be the Fisher Carriage Company of the 21st century. When Fisher saw the writing on the wall with the advent of the automobile, they went into the auto body business - where they remain an industry leader to this day.

[lbrtbell]

38. Very few doctors are smart

That's why most of them are Republicans.

[patrice]

7. At the very barest minimum, that doctor needs to be asked what he'd be doing different in re health

care if it Romney had won, compared to what he will do with PO in the WH.

[Aristus]

9. I would never tell my patients how to vote.

What a prick...

[marlakay]

12. That's how I felt

I asked her about changing doctors but she has gone to him for 28 years and likes him besides this. He has kept her healthy and bugs her if she gets overweight.

I can imagine at 85 it would be scarey to change also.

[Aristus]

17. I keep my patients healthy, and bug them when they are overweight.

But I've never presumed that those things give me the right to tell them how to vote.

For any patient who asks, I tell them I support the Affordable Care Act, and hope for the day when we have a public option. But that's it.

[lunatica]

10. My mother's doctor was a Democrat just like her

But he did tell her he could never talk politics unless the patient did first and was a Democrat. Otherwise he kept his mouth shut and just let the patient have their say.

[Michigan Alum]

41. That's what I do with my clients.

[LiberalFighter]

14. Do some research on the doctor.

Find out if he has any other medical businesses he uses for referrals? If he owns a medical laboratory or anything which would likely increase his income and put him in the top bracket. And likely pose a conflict of interest in his practice.

Tell him since he influenced his patients and tried doing the same to your mom that you will be advocating having the taxes on doctors with outside interests have all of their income taxed at 50%. Not 50% of the amount above $250,000 after exemptions and deductions. But 50% on all of his income.

Of course, do this if your mother gets a different MD.

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. Mine knows I do political reporting

So asked me for pros and cons of Prop 37.

All that between the usual doctor visit. She said she was confused, so we discussed it.

Oh and never did the how do you intend to vote come out. I just gave her the pros and cons of it.

[LeftInTX]

16. This happened to my dad

A cardiologist sent out a letter saying that Obamacare was going to put them out of business.

I was a bit floored.

[Aristus]

19. I would tell him: "ObamaCare won't put you out of business!

Enough people like me finding another cardiologist might, though..."

[madamesilverspurs]

18. My oncologist is a Republican,

but he's been a fantastic doctor. At my last office visit, after we'd finished with the medical stuff, he was preparing to go to the next patient. But he stopped in the doorway, looked both ways, then bent toward me and whispered that he was terrified for his patients should Romney become president. He'd just pronounced me cancer-free after five years (!!!!) and asked how I would celebrate; I told him I was going to add hours to my OFA volunteering. That was quite a day.


-

[K8-EEE]

20. CONGRATS!!!!!

FANTASTIC NEWS ON THE ANNIVERSARY!!

[Cha]

24. So Happy for you, madamesilverspurs! Happy Thanksgiving!

[JohnnyLib2]

28. Congratulations on the 5 years!

(And the choice of doctors, too!)

[ejbr]

21. As if having every

patient and everyone he knows to change their minds would amount to fuck all!

[Arugula Latte]

22. Congrats on five years!

[dembotoz]

23. my doctor is a republican and he knows i am very much a democrat

what chat politics for a moment or two during visits.
he knows what he says is falling on deaf ears so to speak
but he has not prescribed a hearing aid for me

i do think i made some progress this past visit.
we talked a bit about the voucher thing for medicare
he knows i care for may almost 92 year old mother.
i told him that while my mothers plan was safe did he really want to have to deal
with 92 year old patients who picked thier own plan????

fraud central with the good doctor holding the bad--his eyes got a little big.

[savebigbird]

25. In college,

I was taught NEVER to talk politics at work unless you're in the business of politics directly. To this day, I never bring it up at work and neither do my colleagues. Nothing drives away clientele and destroys professional reputations faster and more effectively than trying to force your political views on others.

[bluestate10]

36. I try to avoid politics in my business relationships, but occasionally I have to shut up a

right-winger. I started a while back searching for relationships with progressive business people.

[upi402]

26. My wife was sent to a Gyno with crucifixes and Jesus stuff everywhere in the office

and my wife is Buddhist.

She felt bad about herself and had to start over trying to find a Gyno again.

[Xipe Totec]

27. Maybe he was trying to cure her hiccups? nt

[Turbineguy]

29. When I made it clear that I was a Democrat

my Doctor slapped me on the back and said "You de man!"

Sometimes it just goes the other way.

[catbyte]

31. A neurologist told me to pray my migraines away. If I gave my life to Jesus I would be better.

I reported him to the state & told my primary care doctor about it. He was horrified. When they came after me about the bill I told them if I wanted a sermon I would have gone to church. I kicked up a fuss and they zeroed out my bill. It would have been worth a lower credit rating. Idiot.

[Egalitarian Thug]

32. Let's have his name. These assholes that are in medicine for the money need exposure. n/t

[SheilaT]

33. Someone tried to tell me recently that

doctors are going to stop practicing medicine if Obamacare is here to stay.

Really? What are they going to do instead? Become plumbers? Greeters at WalMart? Get a degree in chemical engineering? Just wondering.

[Ilsa]

34. If everyone went "Galt" that threatened it,

it would open the doors for a lot of decent-minded folks in the marketplace.

[Cooley Hurd]

43. If any dr leaves the heathcare industry because of ACA...

....he was in the wrong biz to begin with.

[bluestate10]

35. Spend some time at home helping your mom find another doctor. The one she has

sounds like an asshole.

[MFM008]

37. none of my docs

have ever talked politics, even one I knew was probably a goper.

[Tanuki]

39. I am a health care professional and I would file a formal complaint with the state licensing board.

Doctors are considered by law to enjoy a relationship of confidence with their patients and are presumed to be in a position to exert undue influence. This is why they must avoid becoming involved with their patients in financial dealings, sexual relationships, etc. that would otherwise be acceptable. Your mother's doctor is well aware of this. From his remark about having been able to change every other patient's mind, it is clear that this wasn't just a chance conversation but that he has been engaging in a pattern of unprofessional behavior. It is particularly egregious that he was doing this with an 85-year-old, knowing that persons of that age have at least a 50% chance of some degree of cognitive impairment which would make them even more vulnerable to suggestion. I am quite serious about reporting him, and I would cc to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

[Cooley Hurd]

44. Yes!!! Getting CMS involved would REALLY make a dent...

They take this VERY seriously. If this clown is trying to attest for MU, it might mean he would be more likely to be audited by CMS since his ethics SHOULD be called into question (if unethical in his patient-dr covenant, then he's probably trying to cheat CMS for MU reimbursements).

[LeftishBrit]

40. And what disease would that cure? An overdose of sanity?

I don't think doctors should be telling patients how to vote, anyway.

[sammytko]

45. Maybe the ones he thought he converted were just humoring him?

Why get into a long discussion about politics with your dr? Just say , sure and be on your way.