On The Subject of Being On Call

The other doctors in my office and myself take part of a call group with a few other offices in our network.  The disadvantage of this is that we have to answer calls on patients who don't even go to our office.  The advantage is that we are only on call every 5th or 6th week.  When we take call it is for an entire week but we never have to go into the office or hospital.  It is all over the phone advise.  I am not complaining because as doctor's call schedules go we have it pretty easy.  I don't mind answering the phone for a week and helping people out.  What is frustrating, however, is that about 80% of the calls we receive are bogus.  It's a lot of people calling after hours and requesting medicines.  I only very rarely prescribe medicines over the phone.  I did it one time this past week when I was on call and that was because a culture result came back and the person was originally prescribed a medicine that wouldn't work for the type of infection they have.  But generally speaking, when people call and request medicine I don't prescribe it.  Part of the problem is that a lot of doctors will prescribe medicines over the phone so certain patients come to expect it.  I really think doing so is pretty sloppy.  I cannot remember one time in medical school, residency, or on any of the tests that I've taken learning that it was OK to prescribe medicine without an adequate history and physical and at least a presumed diagnosis.  So when I tell people I can't prescribe medicines over the phone, it isn't because I'm not trying to be helpful.  It is because I don't want to give people medicine that may not help and could potentially cause more harm.  If being a doctor just meant giving people what they want every time they ask then they should just get rid of our profession and put everything over the counter.

On a complete different note, the World Cup ended today.  I put soccer in the same category of Olympic sports such as downhill skiing and women's gymnastics.  It was fun while it lasted.  I will look forward to watching my next soccer match in 2018.