tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post2729641476635587901..comments2024-03-18T03:28:36.581-04:00Comments on Shrink Rap: The Patient Who Didn't Like the Doc. On-Line.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-36555219212635561882012-01-26T10:36:11.635-05:002012-01-26T10:36:11.635-05:00I think that some sort of online rating system cou...I think that some sort of online rating system could be useful. Some people might prefer a brisk, brusque doctor and others might want a different style. Right now I look at medical school, residency and fellowship training and find out what I can about the orientation of their training. Is this fair?<br /><br />I've also found such sites to be useful when evaluating dentists. Does the dentist rely on the most expensive technology? Is s/he very aggressive about saying you need expensive dental work? How does the office handle billing etc.?East Coasternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-64809333633913596652011-12-02T00:30:59.563-05:002011-12-02T00:30:59.563-05:00Ha! Ha! Now dentist Stacy Makhnevich has made a p...Ha! Ha! Now dentist Stacy Makhnevich has made a public idiot of herself for requiring patients to sign a form that states no badmouth reviews on net.<br />So many medical "professionals" ranted here on how awful the mythical Tom Shrinky was being treated! It's cause the medical professions are not used to having any real accountability!<br />Accept it, folks! <br />The internet gives patients you screwed a voice! <br />You are in business just like Wal-Mart is. <br />If you people were really smart, you would start looking at real accountability in your professions, including patient redress without access to the courts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-55787843857418393342011-04-22T11:25:04.860-04:002011-04-22T11:25:04.860-04:00To the anonymous who posted March 12 about the bad...To the anonymous who posted March 12 about the bad psychiatrist:<br /><br />Neither Medicare nor a medical board will do anything about the doctor. If Medicare got SCADS of complaints, they might look into the billed time.<br /><br />Google "Dr. Joel Holiner" and you will find one psychiatrist who did get in trouble with the government. He had to repay a bunch on Medicaid and Medicare overcharges. Nothing said about private insurance overcharges!<br /><br />Since the so-called authorities will not police the medical profession, we now have the ability to post doctor reviews online.<br /><br />So doctors like Dr. Shrinky need to calm down and learn to live with it. And, address their own behavior as appropriate.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-34602690090942395702011-03-30T21:19:06.408-04:002011-03-30T21:19:06.408-04:00roy - i agree that sometimes a doc may have to tak...roy - i agree that sometimes a doc may have to take emergency calls: my psychologist always lets me know when she is on call for her group practice. however, i was being seen by an ortho once and he took a call to negotiate the closing of his house (i know how much he paid for it). sometimes it is very obvious that it is a personal call. this was the first time i had ever seen the ortho and found it to be highly entertaining: he could have stepped out of the room, appologized, etc. instead he started trying to schedule surgery. i opted to find another surgeon for various reasons but part of it was the lack of focus in the apt. <br /><br />had it been an emergency? yes, i would have understood. but setting up when he could close on the house? not an emergency. and really? quite off putting.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-15335276041035796922011-03-20T14:15:32.776-04:002011-03-20T14:15:32.776-04:00I think your response, anon, of posting the negati...I think your response, anon, of posting the negative review was very appropriate. You could also write a letter to the medical director or the president of the group employing him. As to the time spent, some of the med management codes do not have any time components; this sometimes results in unscrupulous doctors inappropriately doing a series of 5-minute "med-checks" to pack in a bunch of billable codes in a short time-frame.<br /><br />The cell phone issue is not straight-forward, IMO. For example, some docs use a cell phone for emergency calls, so may answer it during a session. Or they may be on-call. It would be very appropriate to ask a new doc their routine for handling calls during a session. If their reply is unsatisfactory, let them know it is disruptive to you and ask if they'd accommodate your need to limit these interruptions. If they won't, then you can try someone else. I think the Golden Rule applies here.Royhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08735111026336537653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-27650386378601334002011-03-12T20:56:09.099-05:002011-03-12T20:56:09.099-05:00Ironically, I posted my first negative online revi...Ironically, I posted my first negative online review, ever , of a physician today ,who happens to be a psychiatrist. My review is accurate, and did not include any personal attacks. It involves considerable restraint, actually. The choice, frankly was filing a complaint with Medicare which would be far more likely to have an impact on the Doctor's practice and career, or posting a negative review, and I think a restrained negative review will have zero to no effect on his career. I AM looking for a new psychiatrist, believe me,and he has not been my psychiatrist for long.. It isn't easy to find a psychiatrist in N.Y. who accepts insurance, but the minute I do, I will. My phenomenal psychologist, whom I have rated as five stars on every possible website, works in the same practice, had actually had kindly volunteered to come stop by on his break on my last session with the psycho-pharmocologist to ensure that the psychiatrist answered my questions about particular medications this time around. Last time, the session was cut short by a personal cell phone call the Dr. took.My psychologist is actively assisting me in finding a psychiatrist outside of the group practice ! If he felt that my unhappiness with the psychiatrist was unfounded, surely he would be engaged in trying to have me "work it through". My complaints include the psychiatrist 1)answering and holding personal, non-emergency, non-work related conversations on his cell phone during my session, without excusing himself, (this is a fully staffed office; emergency calls would be answered by a receptionist, who would knock on the door in the event of an emergency),apologizing, or making up the time<br />2)failing to warn of medication adverse effects and side effects denying that medications he had prescribed could cause adverse effects which was clearly listed in the manufacturer website, the drugstore printout, had been told to me by the pharmacist, etc ,until 4 months later, when two other M.D.s of mine told me that serious symptoms I was having were being caused by those very medications. 3) the last time I saw him, he spent only a fraction of the time he should have with me, and failed to ask me about most of my symptoms. He had started the session 15 minutes late, and was intent on catching up on his schedule. This time will be fully billed to Medicare, as it has been in the past,I might add,which troubles me greatly. What I would really like to do is to file a complaint with Medicare, but I fear repercussions if he finds out because the psychologist is such a an extraordinary therapist and they are employed by the same establishment.Overall, I believe that the psychiatrist is incompetent, and arrogant, and either unaware of medication side effects, or simply too condescending to admit them to a mere patient. I am perfectly or imperfectly sane, I am not in the habit of writing negative reviews of doctors. In fact, the few reviews I have ever written before have been extremely glowing ones where I felt compelled to review someone such as my psychologist because he is so competent and so incredibly compassionate and devoted, that I feel it is the least I can do . <br />btw, I would be very interested to hear feedback as to the issue of psychiatrists and other therapists leaving their cell phones on during session.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-719135923288584442011-03-12T18:22:25.772-05:002011-03-12T18:22:25.772-05:00This scenario is beyond silly. The best term, for ...This scenario is beyond silly. The best term, for Dr. Shrinky's attitude is PARANOIA. <br /><br />If the alleged slanderer were a lawyer-patient, the lawyer knows constitutional free speech law. <br /><br />Actors and actresses have fought media slander for years, usually in vain. Larry Flynt parodied Jerry Falwell in Hustler to help sell his mag. Falwell sued for slander and eventually lost in the US Supreme Court. Falwell was legally a public figure. It was parody!<br /><br />Does Dr. Shrinky think he can get the info and sue for slander? How would he prove slander, that it made him lose business? Where was the profit motive in publishing the statement?<br /><br />Jerry and Larry were also much richer than the average doctor and lawyer and could sustain the fight Years later, Jerry extended a hand to Larry and they became friends.<br /><br />The mythical Tom Shrinky can endure a little adversity.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-19487214996929877522011-03-11T00:26:26.090-05:002011-03-11T00:26:26.090-05:00Doctors hurl insults at patients all the time in t...Doctors hurl insults at patients all the time in the privacy of their offices. The patient has no defense.<br /><br />A doctor who lets an online review intimidate him or her is a gutless wonder.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-82760299219922178902011-03-11T00:14:15.976-05:002011-03-11T00:14:15.976-05:00Since time began, patients have had little recours...Since time began, patients have had little recourse against doctors. Medical boards won't discipline them and malpractice is very difficult to prosecute.<br /><br />The internet levels the playing field. Doctors whine about online reviews; that's tough!<br /><br />I selected a dentist for dentures from online reviews. He had two reviews: very courteous, good, and good staff; and one that said he put in a crown and the tooth was still infected. I call the bad review due to human error and the inexact nature of medicine. I also told my new dentist and his staff about a notorious local dental chain that gets plastered in the ratings, and that's what his office also hears about the chain. Now my dentist has a 3rd very good review.<br /><br />In Dallas, TX, there is a psychiatrist who repeatedly gets good peer reviews and has not been state disciplined. However, the federal government imposed civil penalties and repayment on him for upcoding and monitored his practice for 5 years.<br /><br />The online patient reviews of this guy coincide with his federal legal trouble and my own experience with him. He sees patients as little as possible and delegates his work to nurse practitioners.<br /><br />The internet has enabled patients to get more clear info about doctors than we ever could before. Patients who make these reviews are not profiting, and that would also make slander charges hard to prosecute.<br /><br />If a doctor tracked asuch consnd sued me for slander, I'd be thrilled. I don't have anything. I would also then have a public court case about his or her misconduct that I could publish online. This is how a net savvy person responds to oppression.<br /><br />Get used to it! It's a changed new world!Betsy Rnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-78434430159295505102011-03-07T14:33:58.317-05:002011-03-07T14:33:58.317-05:00Moviedoc: shouldn't that read "So, Dinah,...Moviedoc: shouldn't that read "So, Dinah, how long have you been entertaining fantasies of lawyers as responsible and credible?" (Sorry.. I couldn't resist the joke. JUST a joke.)<br /><br />The problem with most ratings sites is that people usually need a reason to make the review. Who bothers to seek out a place to say "This person/business/product/service is as expected, I'm mildly satisfied"? With a few exceptions (off the top of my head, eBay puts a pretty big emphasis on reviews, and PatternReview.com is centered around reviews of sewing patterns to the point that reviews are as much social venue as they are a means of rating) it's pretty unusual to want to share something with the world unless you have a strong opinion about it. <br />It does seem very strange that someone would leave a bad review of a doctor they keep seeing, especially if it's someone with the means to see another doctor, which sounds like the case here.Maggiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13276587338037331781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-56578544445739054052011-03-07T07:35:21.370-05:002011-03-07T07:35:21.370-05:00i think alot of people are focused on the wrong is...i think alot of people are focused on the wrong issues in life. there are far more important things to be discussing. like over population and monitary enslavement... common people get real. time is not our friend at the minute. lets focus. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTGI7SUTzdApriced916http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTGI7SUTzdAnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-53189612099934915172011-03-06T16:39:46.081-05:002011-03-06T16:39:46.081-05:00I hope you don't mind my adding my thoughts to...I hope you don't mind my adding my thoughts to this issue. This is definitely something that the medical community should take very seriously. As patients begin to leave comments in these types of forums, they can damage the professional, and personal lives of practitioners.<br /><br />I would advise your friend not to confront this particular patient with his suspicions. I would not let on that he knew about the comments what so ever.<br /><br />He absolutely needs to terminate the theraputic relationship as soon as possible, but he should seek legal counsel regarding the situation- before he does anything further. It's best for the patient and the practioner.Chrysalis https://www.blogger.com/profile/00757696627388704079noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-69413569038717539852011-03-06T09:50:05.904-05:002011-03-06T09:50:05.904-05:00Sure, some people might take the reviews seriously...Sure, some people might take the reviews seriously while looking for a psychiatrist, but I would think that most understand that online rating sites often attract bitter people. The comments on weight loss, I would think, would show that the problem is with the commenter and not with his doctor. Unless the doctor notices a definite and worrisome loss/decrease of business, he should do nothing. Don't say anything to the patient--such people are often shocked that the internet doesn't provide perfect anonymity.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-28474255828631951872011-03-03T14:23:00.194-05:002011-03-03T14:23:00.194-05:00I'm wondering if the doctor couldn't conta...I'm wondering if the doctor couldn't contact the site and point out that these entries make several personal comments that have nothing to do with his practice. They might take it down if he requests it.<br /><br />If not: tell them he will subpoena the name/e-info of the author with an eye towards suing the site AND the author for libel, for suggesting that he is a. diseased, and b. in a dishonest collusion with the drug companies. See if they remove it then...Sarah Glennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12455113960686270662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-3241113385850462372011-02-28T06:03:13.554-05:002011-02-28T06:03:13.554-05:00This treatment sounds like it might have been term...This treatment sounds like it might have been terminated long ago. Is this not a kind of blackmail? I feel the same way when I discover a patient has run up a big balance: I could stop treating them, but then I might be less likely to collect. Rock and hard place. Patients can say whatever they want for whatever reason.stock tradinghttp://www.highstockmarket.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-89242355080936650882011-02-25T20:33:46.425-05:002011-02-25T20:33:46.425-05:00I'm wondering about the S&M style relation...I'm wondering about the S&M style relationship that's developed between the doc and pt. Why is a person in charge of treatment intimidated by the person being treated? I would not be surprised if the pt realizes that he is intimidating his psychiatrist and is angry that he is able to do so.<br /><br />My advice would be to get supervision as to how to deal with a difficult pt such as this to ensure treatment is successful or drop the pt by saying the type of treatment offered is deemed inappropriate.Questiniahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06225633428852696530noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-22845502339597622492011-02-25T15:55:32.702-05:002011-02-25T15:55:32.702-05:00The site "rate-my-professor" allows prof...The site "rate-my-professor" allows professors to log on to their reviews and reply...would the site in question have that sort of option?<br /><br />Also, when I go to rate-my-professor myself, I pretty much toss out overly negative and excessively positive comments. One of the best professors I've ever had, had an average rating because she had one comment that equated her to Einstein and another that literally said "I got an F, this woman sucks, I hate her". Umm...only Einstein is Einstein and clearly someone who got an F has an ax to grind. In reality, she is a very tough grader, has high expectations of the students, is excited about her topic, has frequent office hours, answers emails within hours, and loves giving A's when they've been earned! My point is...I can't be the only one that assumes comments on both ends of the spectrum might be about more than the person being "reviewed".Battle Wearyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01503957693970441332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-49160287280579417502011-02-24T07:47:48.043-05:002011-02-24T07:47:48.043-05:00In response to Stefani perceiving that the ill pop...In response to Stefani perceiving that the ill population a psychiatrist encounters must have no control over themselves and are highly likely to abuse an internet doctor-rating site, My Dear, I have Bipolar I Disorder and have been severely ill and even <i><b>I</b></i> managed to rein myself in and not leave nasty comments (i.e., took the high road). How stigmatizing that you presume people with certain disorders go around causing trouble! I don't think your hunch is based on any hard data.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-85651212367298252072011-02-23T19:05:24.668-05:002011-02-23T19:05:24.668-05:00I've left all positive reviews for physicians ...I've left all positive reviews for physicians I've seen except for one, and the negative one was for the psychiatrist. But, I wasn't the only one who shared the negative opinion. He earned his review. Some people are jerks and he was one of those.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-57417799547534950962011-02-23T17:44:57.690-05:002011-02-23T17:44:57.690-05:00Hi Stefani,
You said, "For the most part (an...Hi Stefani,<br /><br />You said, "For the most part (and don't yell at me, please), its the psychiatrists who get the nastiest reviews. I assumed it might be due to the patient population they treat. With patients suffering bi-polar, schizophrenia, etc., isn't it likely that typ of ill patient will perceive a problem more than the mentally healthy patient? "<br /><br />I won't yell you but that it the type of thinking that caused someone I know with schizophrenia to have a complaint about a med not taken seriously by her psychiatrist. This is a person who has taken heavy duty meds without complaints all her life.<br /><br />She became admittedly belligerent when her psychiatrist attributed her complaints to her illness. Totally understandable as that was pretty insulting and stigmatizing.<br /><br />Anyway, the guy forcibly committed her against her will because of this situation. She did get her meds changed but she experienced the trauma of being handcuffed by police among many things.<br /><br />So perhaps those folks that you think didn't perceive a situation well might have received the same type of treatment. Of course, we don't know the story but please don't assume that just because someone has a mental illness that they are wrong and the psychiatrist is right. My friend's situations is a perfect example that the psychiatrist was totally off base and was a disgrace to his profession the way he traumatized her because he refused to listen to her complaints about a med side effect.<br /><br />AAAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-54171775368318066622011-02-23T17:40:44.793-05:002011-02-23T17:40:44.793-05:00So Dinah, how long have you been entertaining thes...So Dinah, how long have you been entertaining these fantasies of demanding, punitive, critical attorneys as patients? What do you think that means?<br /><br />Stefani: No yelling! If psychiatrists get more negative evaluations one factor may be that expectations are way too high. We are just docs, not gurus or wizards, but media and myth would suggest we have special powers. And those TV ads for drugs probably fuel the problem too.moviedochttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03617061594621924756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-41673169543924887522011-02-23T16:09:11.643-05:002011-02-23T16:09:11.643-05:00Hmm.
I've been to those rate-your-doctor webs...Hmm.<br /><br />I've been to those rate-your-doctor websites. For the most part (and don't yell at me, please), its the psychiatrists who get the nastiest reviews. I assumed it might be due to the patient population they treat. With patients suffering bi-polar, schizophrenia, etc., isn't it likely that typ of ill patient will perceive a problem more than the mentally healthy patient? Just my thought based on the statistics of the reviews to various providers.<br /><br />Here is what I suggest- rather than confronting the patient, ask the patient how he feels about their provider-patient relationship. Does the patient believe the doctor provides good care? Does the patient feel comfortable talking to the doctor? What could the doctor do to better improve their trust and overall relationship?<br /><br />If the patient responds negatively and indicates he does not like/trust the doctor, the doctor could then suggest that the patient (for his own good) really should be seeing someone he is more comfortable with. The doctor could then recommend alternate providers.<br /><br />If the patient claims he is happy with their existing relationship, the doctor could says he's worried about the patient not feeling comfortable with him because the patient is always angry, etc when he comes for an appointment.<br /><br />Turn the conversation around to (1) a concern for the patient, and (2) a desire to steer the patient to someone he is more comfortable with.<br /><br />See what happens. Bottom line is, life is too short to be that nervous or unhappy every time the doctor has to see this patient. If he can't convince the patient to go elsewhere, he may have to terminate their relationship.Stefaninoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-64468492927824987402011-02-23T15:14:50.589-05:002011-02-23T15:14:50.589-05:00The patient is not a lawyer. I confabulated the d...The patient is not a lawyer. I confabulated the details. Lawyer: responsible and credible professional. First thing that came to mind.<br /><br />So the patient really wants to stay in treatment with the doc. The doc seems to have some issue with saying, years into this, you should see someone else. The patient would be wounded by the rejection, but I agree that ultimately this is a distressing relationship (at least as I've heard it).<br /><br />Dr. Shrinky is not hailed as a "Top Doc" by any magazine. <br /><br />And there are certainly reasons one might want to complain about a doc (?online...well, I've personally never put a bad review of anything on line...oh, maybe a book...forgive me Danny)...I treat wait staff who live in terror of bad reviews on line. But long waits, inattentiveness, inability to reach the doc in emergencies... all reasons one might complain. But even "didn't return my emergency call." I had one patient years ago tell me her doctor didn't return her call when she was having a panic attack for Three hours. Another patient felt I should be returning calls at 10 of the hour when he assumed I was breaking between patients (no running over for him, and no getting that drink of water for me!, per his rendition of how I should be conducting business).<br /><br />The attacks on Dr. Tom were personal: His appearance doesn't belong on an on-line review.<br /><br />I agree there is a certain dynamic set up when the doc feels defensive. Usually it doesn't help with treatment.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-32508544616674421892011-02-23T15:08:51.378-05:002011-02-23T15:08:51.378-05:00opinions are like butts... everyone seems to have ...opinions are like butts... everyone seems to have one. Now how much you want to give a damn about other people's behind... is the choice that you make. And as far as I am concerned, if he knows he is good (and obviously he is not the only one), the nice little lawyer can have his opinion and shove it right up his @#$*<br />MiloMilohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15389052259062781138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-15742935843256701132011-02-23T14:41:35.569-05:002011-02-23T14:41:35.569-05:00The patient in question here may not even BE a law...The patient in question here may not even BE a lawyer, since Dinah confabulated details.Sarebearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09208596053319110470noreply@blogger.com