One of the most important reasons for dealing with doctors who provide responses of some sort to emails sent to them, is that it may be an indication that they are prepared to put things in writing.
As we’ve said, after you’ve had a face-to-face consultation with a doctor, at the very least you should be able to email them saying something like, “In my consultation with you today I understood you to say blah blah blah – have I got this right?” and get at least a “yes” or “no” answer in reply.
Getting things in writing from a doctor:-
- Lessens the chances of you misunderstanding what they’ve said.
- Makes it more likely that they will stand by anything they’ve said or done.
- Lessens the chances of them providing you with information and advice that’s rubbish, or, at least, not the very best, because their reputation is “on the line” and there’s more you can do about it if they have.
In an ideal world, we should only use doctors who do.
An example of the opposite, is Dr Robert Denniss. After one of our readers had gone to the Westmead Government Hospital with a severe attack of dizziness, when he complained about how he’d got on he was told that Dr Denniss had “sought advice from the staff involved” and assurance was offered that “the treatment and clinical care provided to you throughout were appropriate.” But he hadn’t got any treatment or clinical care!!! – he wasn’t even seen by anyone, let alone a doctor. He’d just been put in a bed and the dizziness had passed of it’s accord after 5 or 6 hours, and so he was discharged. And emails sent to Denniss haven’t even been acknowledged.
What a dope this Dennis bloke must be!!! – and he’s a Professor, and the head of Cardiology at the hospital!!!
As we keep saying – finding out what people and organisations are like is “kindergarten stuff” with modern means of communication – just sent them an email. What to do about what they’re like is the next question.
