tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post8099340059297388151..comments2023-09-19T11:02:50.976-04:00Comments on Ob/Gyn Kenobi: "Why is my OB always running so *late*?"dr. whoo?http://www.blogger.com/profile/10315615480530297472noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post-70518130602758889782010-10-13T00:14:43.647-04:002010-10-13T00:14:43.647-04:00I am sorry, that I interfere, but it is necessary ...I am sorry, that I interfere, but it is necessary for me little bit more information.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post-29067503318784490912010-08-04T00:58:24.049-04:002010-08-04T00:58:24.049-04:00Well as an RN at a very busy 9 doc ob/gyn office (...Well as an RN at a very busy 9 doc ob/gyn office (5 ob/gyn's and the others gyn only)I would like to weigh in on this topic. I gather that Dr Whoo is a girl. I work for one of two lady docs in our practice and our schedule is "always full". We have stopped taking new gyns, referrals etc because there is no room in the inn. Everyone wants a female and there is just not enough of my doc to go around. She has at least 3 ER calls/month and once weekly office call. She has two hospitals to round at and not all ob/gyn pts are on the same floor so rounding takes forever. She tries to do her scheduled inductions on her weekly call day which is also her surgery day. The OR is never on time so you stay behind all day on surgery day. <br /><br />The very first rule of OB is that babies come when they want to and if I could streamline the process to predict the exact time she should whiz over for a delivery so as not to disrupt the office, her family time etc,etc,etc.- I would be a gazillionare! It is a crap shoot and if you want to continue to see Dr Wonderful then put up or shut up!!!! We have a great group of older gyn only docs who will never leave you to deliver a baby and don't have to spend hours rounding.<br />With that said, we see a lot of people for a lot of things that are not our specialty so a typical office visit can take awhile if we are addressing your psych needs as well as your Dermatology, Gastroenterology, Ortho,Neuro, primary care needs. If you expect her to listen to and address all this did you consider that she might do the same for the other 15-17 patients she is seeing today? <br />As for the staff calling you-we tried but you did not answer your phone or we did not have your cell number. The nurse(me) can only see certain patients and in doing so then I am behind on returning your phone calls( a whole other can of worms)We offer to reschedule patients when our doc is behind but most patients don't want to do that because they know it will be month before we might have another appointment time to offer. <br />I don't know what the solution is but I am sure it costs money and takes more that a few days to make a big difference.<br />My suggestions: If it is your annual exam - come with a good book or electronic toy to occupy your time if we are behind. Don't schedule four other things around this appointment time. Address some of your health issues with your PCP. Pick someone who does not deliver if these hints are not helpful. <br />If you are a school teacher- please don't ask us to rearrange our schedule so you don't have to miss work- guess what- my doctor and I has to miss work to see other doctors or attend parent/teacher conf. etc.<br />If you are an OB patient then keep in mind that if you were the patient at the hospital you would want her there when you delivered .<br />One of the things that makes your OB doc so wonderful is that she is a person with a family and a life that she needs to be apart of to keep her going. So cut her some slack if she is behind. She wont get to go home anytime soon and neither will I.sweetorunsweet?https://www.blogger.com/profile/09930702946660560599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post-21871742211247541172010-04-27T20:33:24.872-04:002010-04-27T20:33:24.872-04:00I have to support Dr Whoo here. Practicing OB/GYN...I have to support Dr Whoo here. Practicing OB/GYN is not something that can be done in 1 hour blocks, at least not if your patients are expecting you to bill their insurance. The overhead of practice requires that you see at least 15-20 patients a day just to pay your rent, utilities, staff, and malpractice insurance. It isn't until patients 20+ that you are actually making money to bring home to your family.<br /><br />In a practice like Dr Whoo's, seeing OB patients while you are on call is a necessity. In a practice with 7-8 docs it probably isn't, as labor and delivery will be busy enough to occupy the on-call doc.<br /><br />I've found that if I start each OB appointment by sitting down and asking "Do you have any questions or concerns?" I can answer the things that the patient is concerned about and still finish most visits in about 10 minutes. If a patient really needs an hour to talk about how they're feeling in pregnancy, they really should be working with a midwife, or hire a doula that will help them through the pregnancy. <br /><br />OBs look at pregnacy as primarily a physiologic process that usually goes right and sometimes goes wrong. While we're there for emotional support for some patients, mostly we're there to catch and/or avert problems.<br /><br />Larger practices that use midwives and OBs together are often work well to address patient's needs.Nicholas Fogelson, MDhttp://www.academicobgyn.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post-60918562336070874572010-04-27T19:44:31.626-04:002010-04-27T19:44:31.626-04:00Good god you are simply amazing.
That is all.Good god you are simply amazing.<br />That is all.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post-33386647414967552752010-04-27T14:36:58.549-04:002010-04-27T14:36:58.549-04:00Wow! You got a bunch of comments on this one!
...Wow! You got a bunch of comments on this one! <br /><br />I am very willing to admit that I am not in a medical profession, however, my mother-in-law has been an OB nurse for 35 years (now a nurse manager). It's been great having someone in the family to bounce stuff off of and, though I am never prone to panic, talking with someone as experienced as she is was helpful during both of my pregnancies. <br /><br />That being said, even with that ace in my pocket, I did my homework. I attended pre-conception classes, pregnancy classes, and childbirth classes. They were all free at the hospital at which I was planning to deliver, so why not educate myself? I read voraciously -- not to the point of hypochondria, though. It is true that you shouldn't believe everything on the internet, but if 98% of the sources you check say that heartburn in pregnancy is normal, then it probably is. <br /><br />I adore my OB -- she clicks with me and my hubby, we usually spend the visit laughing. I hope that she enjoys our visits as much as we do. With my second child, we had a bet -- I said she wasn't going to be that much bigger than my son and she was guessing that baby would be at least a pound bigger. I was right, BTW!<br /><br />I view my relationship with my OB as a partnership with the mutual goal of healthy baby/healthy mom. I pay attention, I take notes, if I need to, I ask relevant questions. She is currently guiding us through infertility treatments (Clomid/IUI) with her trademark blend of information and humor. Keeping my fingers crossed for next month!IASoupMamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11222652185240780006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post-67088916339619373012010-04-26T09:43:25.982-04:002010-04-26T09:43:25.982-04:00Another reason I run late is when people book an a...Another reason I run late is when people book an appointment for one reason and actually have a different , more serious problem that they are hesistant to tell the receptionist.<br /><br />example: twice I've had people who came in for yeast infections but were really suicidal!<br /><br />or someone who found out their spouse was unfaithful and needs STD screening. <br /><br />Also, when I have someone comes in for a routine visit and actually has a miscarriage, this visit will take much longer than scheduled.<br /><br />Our office employs an NP who is amazing and helps pick up the slack when we run behind.RH+https://www.blogger.com/profile/14572908723231120951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post-50756755645813703092010-04-23T20:15:49.362-04:002010-04-23T20:15:49.362-04:00Being seen 20 minutes past the official appointmen...Being seen 20 minutes past the official appointment time is standard in my book. My feeling is that if you aren't happy with the timeliness of your doctor then you should find a different one because small things matter.<br /><br />To illustrate: I had an appointment with a new Pediatrician. We'd changed insurances and were expecting #2 so I took #1 to meet the fellow and get ourselves established. <br /><br />This was pre-GPS/email/cells phones and I got lost getting there and was 20 minutes late. I'd left work, ridden the train home, picked my son up and gotten lost during this journey so I had already exerted a considerable amount of effort and taken half a day off. He tells me I'm "too late" and will have to reschedule.<br /><br />I did reschedule, and you know what? Although he was a recommended and on the "Best Docs" list in my area I never liked him. He was timely but our outlooks were different, he sent us to several specialists I thought were un-called for, urged me to have one son have a surgery that was a waste, plus his advise/care recommendations always seemed to "forget" that I was a working Mom who did not have unlimited time.<br /><br />A couple of years later we changed insurances again and I got us into a large group practice with an easy to find location that habitually ran 20 minutes late. Both kids are still alive and well.<br /><br />My take-away is that if you are unhappy with the way a Physician runs their office you need to find another Physician. There is no telling what else you will not agree on and you'll both be happier.RoseAGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01360864547510178832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post-15634012018537664092010-04-23T11:26:55.975-04:002010-04-23T11:26:55.975-04:00I enjoyed the post, but then I got to the comments...I enjoyed the post, but then I got to the comments and WOW! I wasn't expecting some of this. <br /><br />I'm a premed mother of 2 and my younger child has special medical needs and we've spent AGES waiting in various doctor's offices. I never, ever expect a medical office to be running on time, especially in a specialty like OB where urgent situations (deliveries, c-sections) are a frequent occurrence. Regardless of scheduling, doctors can never adequately predict how any particular visit will go. A quick visit for a stomachache can end in a doorknob question which resets the entire visit, eating up double the allotted time...or a visit that seems to be of high acuity can go unexpectedly quick. Doctors do the best they can to meet the needs of each patient and that sometimes results in running behind schedule. If you are the patient with a game-changing door knob question or the patient who needs an emergency c-section, you certainly don't begrudge the doctor devoting that extra time. We should all keep that in mind the next time we are kept waiting a little longer than is ideal.Kylahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03311014761113076785noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post-29270402365624280652010-04-22T13:55:29.982-04:002010-04-22T13:55:29.982-04:00I'm another one that doesn't want my OB to...I'm another one that doesn't want my OB to meet my emotional needs. I have friends that have their babies with midwives and they gush about how the midwife stays with them throughout the labor. I would rather stick pins in my eyes then have someone hovering over me while I'm in labor.<br /><br />But, the OBs that delivered both my children have a much more patient friendly focus. The doctor who is on call doesn't see patients in the office. Longest wait in two pregnancies was 45 minutes and that was when I had the last appt of the day. Most times, I was called back 5 minutes before my scheduled time.Suzanne Lucashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07129772885673695447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post-29698506776857579102010-04-20T18:34:46.160-04:002010-04-20T18:34:46.160-04:00Also, if any of you absolutely cannot stand waitin...Also, if any of you absolutely cannot stand waiting, and need to get in and out quick, schedule one of the earliest appointments. Doctors are rarely falling behind on their first appointment. And I swear most babies like to come at night or in the afternoon, after Mom has been up walking around all day.Brithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08146962731903810868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post-29608205239080439312010-04-20T17:53:06.224-04:002010-04-20T17:53:06.224-04:00(...continued) My OB wasn't there just to catc...(...continued) My OB wasn't there just to catch, she checked in once or twice while I was delivering (I was only in labor for 6 hours), I know that she also had a computer in her office where she could see all the readings of the machine and check the progress of my contractions, giving her and her other patients forewarning of how close I was to delivery. Also, the nurses regularly corresponded with her (probably more than normal 'cause I walked a lot and was never hooked up to the machine). Of course, my OB was also blessed with a practice within 5 minutes of the hospital.<br /><br />Another thing, I was always told that if I felt I had a lot of question or wanted more time I could always ask to schedule a double appointment. I think by coddling Dr. Whoo means those patients who tell the nurses that everything is fine, they have no concerns, and then suddenly lays a list of problems on the doc. Tell the nurses they prepare the doc so she is prepared and can use that time most efficiently. Or the patients that haven't done their own homework, haven't read the handouts given at the last appointment or who unfortunately are listening to horrible advice and horror stories from little old ladies and mother-in-laws.<br /><br />I know that physicians are very busy, that my OB tried her hardest, that she often skipped lunch, and stayed hours after the office closed to catch up on paperwork, and I also know that insurance companies generally regulate the patient load a physician sees, and they are the ones who tell physicians to have an average appointment of 8 minutes. Midwifes only deal with select insurance companies, and not the worst of the crew, Medicare. <br /><br />Dr. Whoo and the rest of the busy, overworked, tired, hungry OB's and other physicians out there. I want to say thanks, and I understand and appreciate all you do.Brithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08146962731903810868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post-62582436007652177772010-04-20T17:53:06.225-04:002010-04-20T17:53:06.225-04:00Come on guys, be nice! In case you haven't not...Come on guys, be nice! In case you haven't noticed Dr. Whoo spent years training, and puts a lot of focus into trying help her patients. She even skips lunch, how many of you frequently skip lunch at your work place to help another customer, or do you just put up a sign that says "The office is out to lunch and will be back at 1:00"? <br /><br />I went to an OB for my pregnancy, and I loved it. I thought about a midwife, and part of the consideration was the price. But for my first pregnancy I'm very glad I choice an OB, I was comforted in the fact that if something suddenly went wrong she could handle it and could perform an emergency C-section. <br /><br />10-15 minutes with my OB was plenty of time! To help cover all the things you guys are mentioning there are things like plenty of hand-outs, nurses who can go over some more basic information, and a number to call for questions. <br /><br />Dr. Whoo is right, all of those 15 minute are spent talking, even the basic exam of measuring the belly and listening to the heart beat, and you can still talk during. My OB was able to explain everything she was doing, what was normal, if I deviated from the norm what it meant, what to expect over the upcoming weeks, what I could do and answer questions, it can be done. It also helps if a patient has done her own research (come on What to Expect When Your Expecting, and WebMD exist) so that it's not all new information, and I can ask if my doc agrees with the information I've found. <br /><br />Amazingly, by some miracle my doc was rarely behind more than 1/2 hour. And this is amazing because she is on call every day. And for that I'm grateful. She was in a practice of 4 physicians, who were all on call every day for their own patients, they rotated weekends and holidays, and there was one day a week that they would be in the OR (Mondays for my doc). I was told all of this at the first visit. I am also very grateful that the doc I went to all my visits with was the one there for my delivery, and not some doc I was unfamiliar with just because it was her office day and she didn't want to schedule on call days during office visits.<br /><br />However, occasionally she did run a little behind, and for that I was perfectly fine, like many others I was glad to know that the priority was for those delivering and that she cared about her patients, all of them, not just me. On those times, if it was severely behind, I was called before my appointment. Otherwise I was told at the office and was given the options of waiting, rescheduling, or seeing another of the practitioners. I felt the staff always did what they could to be courteous while still acknowledging that things happen, babies come at the most unfortunate time.Brithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08146962731903810868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post-82198343729802704202010-04-20T01:01:34.188-04:002010-04-20T01:01:34.188-04:00Sounds like an entire system that needs changing. ...Sounds like an entire system that needs changing. What about midwives or NPs for low-risk patients and OBs for high risk? Or what's an alternative? Are there really none? I agree that 60 minutes is unnecessary, but 20 would be nice, and no more than half an hour wait. I don't need hand holding but I did like knowing the OB who delivered my babies. It sounds like many fields are headed towards the big practice model with many doctors sharing call. I'd rather have one or two GPs, peds, obs, whatever, than 10 in one practice.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15898152820218733726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post-14477121325038200262010-04-19T15:49:17.895-04:002010-04-19T15:49:17.895-04:00Can I ask, is it appropriate for a patient who has...Can I ask, is it appropriate for a patient who has other responsibilities to ask to have an appointment rescheduled for another day? (Is that even possible?) Is there a waiting time when that might become appropriate? (Assuming, say, this isn't an emergency or anything.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post-81089629025738907492010-04-19T01:10:48.333-04:002010-04-19T01:10:48.333-04:00These comments are so interesting for this post. H...These comments are so interesting for this post. Having 4 different OBs between 6 kids I came to a few conclusions. I WOULD NOT wait more than an hour or so for my doctor. If need be, I would check in, get my blood pressure, weight, and urine checked and then leave after a half hour or so. Any questions could wait till next month, or I could call the doctor. I would anticipate, at tops, a 2-5 minute phone conversation. Does this bother you, Dr. Whoo, when your patients don't see you in the office because they have lots of little kids at the babysitter's or in your office and they can't stay to see you? From their chart you can see their weight, urine, blood pressure, etc. I never had high risk pregnancies, or the need to be overly chummy with my doctors. Although, even friendly banter would only take 2-3 minutes and accomplished a lot in establishing a trusting, good rapport with my doctors. What I've since learned in reflecting on all my OB visits over 14 years with 6 pregnancies and 2 miscarriages, was that I should have focused more on what my concerns and preferences for my labor and delivery were. The delivery is the culmination of the pregnancy and is very important to have good communication regarding all those details. With our internet, info overload society, I would read a lot, inform myself, and then boil down my questions to just a couple. This allowed my doctor the opportunity to clear up my misconceptions or understand my concerns and add his experience in so that I was truly informed. Anyway, those are some thoughts from a very experienced and very understanding former OB patient who expected my appts. to be canceled several times throughout my pregnancies due to the erratic, unpredictable nature of OB/GYNs schedules. Keep up your good work Dr. Whoo.LauraThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15986846093055282121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post-86212717338649039122010-04-18T22:42:31.405-04:002010-04-18T22:42:31.405-04:00Im sorry, but I never expected my OBGYN to handhol...Im sorry, but I never expected my OBGYN to handhold me, coddle me, and blow sunshine up my ass. What I needed from him was telling me that everything is progressing within normal ranges, that the test results were nothing astounding, and that while vomiting all the damned time sucked ass, and required my little red emergency bucket the whole time, that i was NOT going insane for it. <br />Oh, and I needed him to deliver my son. I put my faith in him, and went as far as telling him that if there is even a NIGGLE of some doubt of something "not quite right" that I as not going to get upset if we needed a section. <br />Did I wait in his waiting room? Yep. Did I get a midwife who was already skating on thin ice fired? Yup. Dont bloody tell me in an office where your supervising OBGYN is a male, that it is IMPOSSIBLE for a male to know what is going on in a womans body. <br />I spent roughly ten to fifteen minutes per appointment with him, and often times much longer in the waiting room. Loved him. Will use his practice again. I would much rather have ten minutes with an OBGYN that I trust, than have a twenty or thirty minute appointment with someone i cant stand.<br />Personal Choice.MontanaMommanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post-8881779842401369062010-04-17T23:53:40.775-04:002010-04-17T23:53:40.775-04:00I was a clinic RN in an OB/Gyn clinic similar in s...I was a clinic RN in an OB/Gyn clinic similar in size and patient load to the one you describe. Our on-call physician was scheduled every 30 minutes with a few specific appointment times left open for me to use at my discretion for patients who needed to be seen urgently. Patients scheduling on a call day were told ahead of time that they may have to wait or be rescheduled. Our other providers all managed to reasonably stick to their schedules.<br /><br />We scheduled routine OB patients for 10 minute appointments, annuals for 20 minutes and consultations for 30 minutes. Our physicians' schedules were booked months in advance. And NEVER double-booked, as you describe. Patients who wanted to be seen sooner could be seen by one of the 3 ARNPs who often had appointments available within a day or two. Or they could try to make their case with me and I would decide (or ask the physician) if they should be seen in one of the urgent spots that day or the next on the on-call schedule. For patients who needed to be seen sooner than the 1-2 month wait for an appointment but not urgently, I would keep a list and the receptionists would notify me of cancellations.<br /><br />Having worked in a well-run, but very busy OB/Gyn clinic, I see no excuse for patients waiting more than a few minutes to see their physician other than exceptional circumstances. I know you're going to point me to the fact that you don't do the scheduling and you have no power about the way your clinic is run. But I think that's a cop-out. <br /><br />Making excuses for the clinic shows a lack of respect for your patients' time. If I were a patient at a clinic that regularly double-booked patients and physicians regularly ran late (on a call day or not), I would change clinics and write a letter to the clinic manager and/or physician group letting them know that their disrespect for my time was the reason I was leaving. I understand occasionally waiting, if the patient ahead of me needs extra time or there's an emergency of some sort, but setting up a schedule guaranteed to cause providers to run late is inexcusable.MamaDoodlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07775062333048171808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post-54158327804205178582010-04-16T13:31:15.915-04:002010-04-16T13:31:15.915-04:00To the homebirth midwife who posted above me ~ THA...To the homebirth midwife who posted above me ~ THANK YOU. You are correct in saying that you cannot do what your OB does and he does not have time to do what you do. You are 2 seperate professionals with a common goal ~ helping bring life into the world. :-)<br /><br />Come on people, Dr Whoo did not make the rules, she only plays by them. If it works for her and the pts that see her and the other docs in her practice, that is GREAT! If it doesn't work for you, you can go to a clinic / midwife that can give you what you need. It is really that simple. She was posting info on her blog that she thought would be helpful and this has turned into a p*ssing contest on who delivers better care, midwife vs OB. Everyone is different and we have a ability to choose who we want to see.<br /><br />JMHO ~ as a L&D nurse and mother of 3 who has waited FOREVER to see her doctor.Monicanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post-84995671202789844322010-04-16T13:28:20.555-04:002010-04-16T13:28:20.555-04:00No offense to midwives and their clients, but for ...No offense to midwives and their clients, but for some women, it is just not important to them to make pregnancy and birth such an emotional, cultural, and all-encompassing life-stopping event. (I know, I know, shocking!) When I chose my OB, I didn't want her to pry into my life to where I needed to spend 60 minutes each appointment hashing out my diet, my sex life, my emotional void that I was wishing and praying she would be the one to finally fill... etc. Some women just want a doctor to monitor their progress and deliver their baby. End of story.<br /><br />I do understand and appreciate how packed the OB schedules are, but so is mine. So when my OB would be running 45 minutes late, that was another hour off the clock at my job, another appointment I had scheduled later that I was late for. I realized that I couldn't control the doctor's day, so I'd anticipate an hour appointment wait. Sure it was frustrating and annoying, but at least I got a lot of reading done. :-)Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13505653225242099207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post-43612803095225542242010-04-16T09:48:56.811-04:002010-04-16T09:48:56.811-04:00Speaking as a home birth midwife, I don't know...Speaking as a home birth midwife, I don't know how OB/GYNs do everything they do. And I say that with admiration and respect, not sarcasm. I can do home visits, spend 60-90 minutes at every prenatal, really get to know a woman, analyse her diet habits and individual nutritional needs, and be there for her entire labor and several hours immediately postpartum *because I only attend 3-4 births a month.* I can't do a c-section if she needs one (or a forceps rotation for a persistent posterior baby with a nuchal arm, or an emergency D&C for a placenta accreta -- I've had clients who needed both of these in the last two months, and the fantastic OB who sees them for back-up care was there we needed him. I don't know when he sleeps with juggling office hours, scheduled surgeries, and deliveries -- he's in private solo practice and is almost never really off call. I could not do what he does, and it would not be reasonable to expect him to do what I do.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post-63418432608860085512010-04-16T03:52:56.140-04:002010-04-16T03:52:56.140-04:00I always waited 2-3 hrs for my prenatal care &...I always waited 2-3 hrs for my prenatal care & would gladly do it again. I had incredibly complicated pregnancies that were managed 100% by a Perinatologist (most of his patients also saw a regular OB, I was an unusual case) and I knew his schedule was overbooked because he was in high demand. <i>He is the best</i>. And he didn't even deliver me, it was the hospital-only Peri (no office patients) who was did my emergency deliveries and was a fantastic provider as well. The delivering Dr only met me a couple of times during emergency L&D visits but I loved the care I got from him too. He was in constant contact with my primary Peri plus he was incredibly skilled & had a fantastic, calming manner even when I was terrified & very sick. <br /><br />I was content with my busy docs because they had awesome nurses, techs & NPs who did most of the patient education, gave reassuring talks & tons of hugs. My Peri made himself avail to me by cell phone & email because he knew his patients wanted that safety net of constant access & personal attention. That worked for him: all the panicky moms-to-be shared happy stories of how they felt well cared for when we were chatting during those long waits in the clinic.<br /><br /><b>Busy docs with extremely complicated patients CAN still give wonderfully personal attention.</b> Mother & baby care is a TEAM EFFORT. I think skilled docs, well-educated support staff & teamwork made it a positive experience for me. Good people skills makes the difference when juggling too many patients; tons of experience helps too. I met nice Residents & Fellows but they couldn't do as good a job, they let their frustrations & stress show. The most experienced practitioners can make it look easy.<br /> <br />I only wish they had massaging recliners in the waiting room- when I was on bedrest I usually got a NST recliner or exam table to lay down on while waiting to be seen & I felt bad for the other moms sitting on hard waiting room chairs- and that food cart would have been awesome!!OBsavedMyBabynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post-88947314261475492082010-04-15T15:25:54.153-04:002010-04-15T15:25:54.153-04:00"As for meeting women's "emotional n..."As for meeting women's "emotional needs" during pregnancy and delivery, I'm not really sure how to answer except that not all women expect their prenatal care provider to fulfill an "emotional need" for them. Most will seek this in their husband, close friends, and family members..."<br /><br />This response did wonders for me to understand the difference between me and so many of my friends who tend to bash OB/GYNs and praise midwives. In a provider, I was looking for a medical guide in my pregnancy and birth, not a doula or a new best friend. My 2 OB/GYNs I have had for 2 births have been top notch! And if I knew you, I would try to get into your practice for a potential third! And your responses in the comments were extremely helpful.Jill - OB/GYN supporternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post-62812563595633322502010-04-15T11:26:58.519-04:002010-04-15T11:26:58.519-04:00I understand that you are giving the woman who ask...I understand that you are giving the woman who asks for it more time. However, you obviously resent it on some level if you consider a woman who needs more than 10 minutes someone that needs to be "coddled". That is condescending at best. <br /><br />Also, you say "but suffice it to say that OB/GYN practices simply cannot survive on 8-10 patients seen per day. It is impossible to cover overhead this way, and if you do not work in the medical profession, there is no way to easily explain so that you may comprehend." Um, I do work in the medical profession, as do most of my friends, so I do get it. I really do. Doesn't mean it can't be done differently, many people here have mentioned that the offices they go to do it differently, so it is possible. Not an hour per person maybe, but at least 20 minutes is feasible, and not having patients in labor and in the office at the same time IS feasible.Katiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00814918683510928526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post-27023337056210792042010-04-15T11:21:53.668-04:002010-04-15T11:21:53.668-04:00"This discussion takes 60 to 90 seconds, max...."This discussion takes 60 to 90 seconds, max." Ok, first of all, a patient is going to have trouble remembering all that if it is only given 60 seconds of your time. If it isn't worth more of your time, how are they supposed to understand how important it is for them to follow it? Not to mention that when a woman is nervous and excited about finding out how her baby is doing she is unlikely to remember something barely touched on. Also, you called this a conversation takes longer than that. A conversation involves two people talking, not one. A conversation about nutrition starts by asking what the woman knows about nutrition, what she is eating now, if she has any dietary issues such as allergies or intolerances or relgious beliefs precluding certain foods. Then you talk about how to modify that. For instance, my care provider knew that I get excema when I eat dairy, and that my son was allergic. So she discussed alternate calcium sources, including greens. She also asked about diet at every appointment, so although I wouldn't have thought to mention that i was craving fast food (and giving in to those cravings), when she specifically asked I admitted it, and she told me that the baby's brain was growing a lot that week, and it was normal to want more fats, and helped me figure out some healthy options. (guacamole!!!). I guess what I'm thinking is that unlike a dermatoligist, who is dealing with something JUST physical, an OB has to be a doctor, a nutritionist, and a bit of a psychologist. Pregnancy is NOT just a physical event, birth is also emotional, cultural, and spiritual. And there is no way to deal with all that, AND talk to the woman about how her baby is growing (my favorite part of my visits was having my provider pull out a chart and show me what my baby looked like that week, and explain the changes), how her body is changing, and make plans for the birth, all in 5 minutes. I know that at your current position you don't have control over how many patients you see...but you have to admit it is no where near the ideal situation.Katiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00814918683510928526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31146535.post-33114046548187957942010-04-14T23:58:35.930-04:002010-04-14T23:58:35.930-04:00I can sum up pregnancy nutrition in a few sentence...I can sum up pregnancy nutrition in a few sentences. "Concentrate on increasing fresh fruit and vegetables, and target an increased protein intake. Go for as natural a diet as you can possibly tolerate. Stay away from white bread, white pasta, white rice, potatoes, cake, cand, chips, and any processed foods. Aim more towards natural foods that grow, swim, fly, or run. Eat small frequent meals, every two to three hours (200-300 calories at a time(, taking protein and carbohydrates together at each meal. Calcium is important, if you are not taking 2-3 8 oz glasses of milk/day, look at calcium supplementation. Your goal is 1200 mg of Calcium daily." This discussion takes 60 to 90 seconds, max.dr. whoo?https://www.blogger.com/profile/10315615480530297472noreply@blogger.com