Doctor Sir, My EARS don't have a UTI!

[Geek King]

To all the people urging the OP to report the doctor...did any of you catch that this happened over a year ago?

That's still within the reporting limit for the state license board, which is the actual body you should report to in the U.S. Sometimes its useful to have a parent who spends all day making sure doctors stay up-to-date with their licenses.

However, it is up to the OP. If they feel it has been too long, or don't want to bother, so be it. I will agree that it shows a definite lack of character in the doctor that he would think that would be funny.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Naw, man, if you REALLY had wanted to fuck with them, at that point you act like you are absolutely overjoyed. Just freaking near tears with happiness.

Because Mr. Humor will have to tell you that you aren't. And he will NOT want to have to do that.

Then you act like your are devastated.

Hilarity ensues.

[derangedperson]

That's definitely a violation of both HIPAA regulations and the Hippocratic Oath. Hell, the first thing the HO says is "First, do no harm!"

[Athaelia]

The doctor's reply was something along the lines of , "Oh crap, I didn't know you could hear us, I'm really sorry you didn't find that funny." The nurse also apologised as I left, and it also wasn't very genuine--something along the lines of "oh, sorry". I think they were embarrassed for themselves by that point--

I'm usually pretty assertive, but I think I would have been more so if not for my condition. Since it was so long ago, I'm not planning on reporting him to any agency, but I may bring it up with the office manager (or like person) next time I am in the clinic, since I know his name and the date I was treated, just in case it may help anyone else out.

The clinic has several doctors and needless to say, I won't be letting him treat me again.

Thanks for letting me vent about this horrific experience, even if it was a year ago.


---LadyKelli

[PepperElf]

also... reporting it, even late, could help out other patients as well, if the doctor is making a habit of being such an ass.


though i also think RK's idea is super awesome.

[Pagan]

That's definitely a violation of both HIPAA regulations and the Hippocratic Oath.

Methinks he might have been spelling that wrong.

[trailerparkmedic]

I don't see how this could be a violation of HIPAA. The main portion of that pretty much says "Don't talk about medical stuff to people not directly involved in the person's care." Now, if the medical assistant (most 'nurses' in doctors offices are medical assistants) had told Joe in the waiting room that you weren't pregnant, that's a violation of HIPAA. It's also a violation if they had that conversation where others who aren't involved in your care could overhear it, if you were identifiable from the information (basically, saying "Girl in Room A/LadyKelli/etc is not pregnant" in the waiting room).

I'm not saying what happened is right or ethical, just trying to point out that it's not covered under HIPAA as I understand it.

[jedimaster91]

I don't see how this could be a violation of HIPAA. The main portion of that pretty much says "Don't talk about medical stuff to people not directly involved in the person's care." Now, if the medical assistant (most 'nurses' in doctors offices are medical assistants) had told Joe in the waiting room that you weren't pregnant, that's a violation of HIPAA. It's also a violation if they had that conversation where others who aren't involved in your care could overhear it, if you were identifiable from the information (basically, saying "Girl in Room A/LadyKelli/etc is not pregnant" in the waiting room).

I'm not saying what happened is right or ethical, just trying to point out that it's not covered under HIPAA as I understand it.

I was thinking the same thing. While there are a lot of seemingly innocuous ways to have a HIPAA violation* I don't think this is one of them.

*<other other location> was recently told that certain computers in the tech room could be in violation if left unattended and logged in since they are visible from the hallway. Which means only one computer can be used to keep tabs on what's going on in the ER since that one faces away from the hall.

Personally I think having two patients in a room is more of a HIPAA violation than what the doc did. Doc was still a jerk, though.

[aniwahya]

It could be argued that at the point of the doctor asking about her medical info was not for medical purposes but to set up his prank. Also a real stickler could point out that they were discussing her medical info loud enough that she could clearly over hear them, therefore a complete stranger could have been privy to her private medical information.

Also I get that it happened a year ago, I just wanted to affirm that it was indeed wrong on many levels and that if such a thing should happen in the future what actions could be taken if the person wanted to do something about it.

[Caffienated_Caramel]

I'd report the nurse too the next time you had to go there. Since she was in on the joke.

[Shalom]

The doctor's reply was something along the lines of , "Oh crap, I didn't know you could hear us, I'm really sorry you didn't find that funny." The nurse also apologised as I left, and it also wasn't very genuine--something along the lines of "oh, sorry". I think they were embarrassed for themselves by that point--

Now this pisses me off more than your original post did.

He's not sorry that he did it. He's sorry that he got caught. What an asshole.

Naw, man, if you REALLY had wanted to fuck with them, at that point you act like you are absolutely overjoyed. Just freaking near tears with happiness.

Because Mr. Humor will have to tell you that you aren't. And he will NOT want to have to do that.

I like it. That's even eviler than my suggestion. In my original scenario above, his telling you he's joking is what gives relief; here, his admission is what causes the patient's consternation. It makes it even a worse zinger for the doctor, because he's gonna be facing a very difficult task that he has no way of getting out of.

"YES!! YES!! After 10 years of trying I finally caught! (sniffle) Thank you $DEITY! And my OB/GYN had already given up... (sob) she said I didn't have any viable eggs left... wait til I tell her, she'll be so ecstatic she won't even be embarrassed about being wrong... WTF DO YOU MEAN YOU WERE ONLY JOKING!!!"

[blas]

Are you sure you weren't so ill and out of it that you walked into some random hole in the wall bar or something, where the employees on staff thought it'd be funny to fuck with you and let you think you were at the doctor's office?

Cuz really, this story hurts my brain and makes me ill.

I mean, on what planet would any doctor, or nurse for that matter, think it would be funny to tell a woman that she's pregnant when she's not? I mean truly, my brain hurts, my heart is just pumping with rage thinking that this happened to someone....I'm sure my blood pressure just spiked.....

[Sunsetsky]

I would've told the doctor that I was incapable of becoming pregnant. But I think I like the "pretending to be enthusiastic" idea a lot better. What the doctor did was incredibly wrong. They shouldn't be playing pranks on their patients especially over something as big as that.

[skeptic53]

Sounds like you had a kidney infection, not just a garden-variety UTI. This makes what the doc & assistant did that much worse. Playing a prank like that is highly unethical, doing so to a patient who is very sick is downright sociopathic.

I doubt it rises to legal malpractice, and I agree it would only be a HIPAA violation if people not involved in caring for you could overhear and also know the conversation was about you. But that is immaterial, this kind of behavior is really warped.

Most clinics would take a written complaint about this very seriously.

[Athaelia]

Thanks to everyone who offered kind words and information about this experience. It is reassuring that my hubby and I aren't the only ones that think this is totally screwed up! As I've said before, I'm usually pretty assertive and I felt like the doctor and nurse took advantage of my failing health at the time for a few chuckles.

Kind readers, please rest assured that this one experience has left such a sour taste in my mouth that I will never again let anything like this happen to me again.