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Pediatrician Horror Story Involving a Parent Asking a Question about the MMR
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Anonymous
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I heard a horror story tonight about a doctor's response to a new patient asking very basic questions about vaccines. Whether you are pro or anti-vaccine, I think you agree that it should be every patient's right to ask their doctor's questions about the vaccines. In this particular incident, my friend has a 16 month old who is completely up to date on vaccines. She's not anti-vax at all. She was planning on vaccinating her baby with the MMR at 18 months, as her previous out of town doctor had instructed her to do. So when the new pediatrician heard this via an office nurse, she called her my friend at home and started screaming at my friend, saying that by questioning the practice's guidelines (they do MMR at 12 months) she was being disrespectful them and that she was no longer welcome in that practice, effectively leaving a baby without healthcare.
My friend told the doctor that she was absolutely planning on getting MMR, just hadn't planned on it till 18 months, based on her plan with her previous pediatrician, and was confused about why the doctor was acting so aggressively towards her. She asked what the big concern was about waiting two months to do the shot. The doctor then told her that she was lying about her plans to get the MMR?!? Then told her to "never step foot in the office again." (I'm not exaggerating this by the way. My friend called me absolutely sobbing). The doctor also then went to the school/daycare immunization form on file and changed her response as to whether this patient was up to date on vaccines. (This form was the whole point of the initial visit). Isn't that a doctor taking their professional privilege a bit too far by altering medical documents out of revenge? Also, since when do patients not have a right to have two months of flexibility in terms of when they get vaccinations, especially when they are operating under doctor's orders? This is really frightening to me. Makes me think that the AAP is sending memos to doctors telling them to take a "my way or the high way" response to parental concerns to get people in line. I don't think this is the answer to parental concerns. |
Anonymous
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Interesting. I had a very similar experience recently, also related to a pretty innocent question about vaccines. Don't want to name names but I wonder if it is the same practice. Doctor's response was totally over the top, and yes, she made it pretty clear that I would not be welcome back in the practice.
I find this odd. I mean, my whole point of asking the good doctor a question was to hear her response so I could take it under consideration. If I was dead set against all vaccinations and all western medicine, I wouldn't have been there in the first place. |
Anonymous
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This doctor went over the line. This is a major failure on the doctor's part, and it is hard to believe any doctor would do such a thing. I am pro-vaccine, but I can't justify such an attack.
The AAP would not support such behavior. I think it's best to call this one a rotten apple, since so many doctors do the right thing and talk openly with their patients about any vaccine concerns. |
Anonymous
| You should report this somewhere. I've never heard of such a response. My doctor calmly answers my many questions about vaccines. What's the deal? |
Anonymous
| Is the doctor's office near White Flint? |
Anonymous
| No, in northwest DC. Why, did you have a similar experience? |
Anonymous
| Do you mean Chevy Chase, MD? |
Anonymous
| No, in Northwest DC. In Spring Valley. |
Anonymous
| Report this to the board of health. |
Anonymous
Phone your health insurance company and complain about the doctor. I got into a spat with the dentist once. The staff was very rood and said in the end that I should phone the insurance company. I did and complained to them. Then the office told me that I was dropped as a patient because I had phoned the insurance company. Insurance companies keep track of doctors that the patients complain about and they know this |
Anonymous
Yes. The practice was near White Flint Mall. |
Anonymous
Doctors thrive on their own good reputation, that being said...tell your friend to get on the computer and start blogging about this. That's the first thing that she can do...start reviewing the doctor online and letting other know exactly what she just went through and be sure to name names...also tell her to go to these websites and start typing: www.ratemd.com www.healthgrade.com Also, tell her to contact the insurance company about this, and write a letter to the Director of that practice and CC the doctor in question. Also, she can write a formal complaint to the Board of Medicine or State Licensing body. And if she wants to take it even further, tell her to call 7 on your side. Contact the media or newspaper. This is a disgrace that a doctor would do such a thing. YOU are the parent and YOU decide what your child will and will not have and when! Good luck. Please keep us updated. |
Anonymous
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Personally, I doubt that the licensing board will care about something like this. Everyone fires a patient now and then. From your description it sounds like the reason for your dismissal was probably either spurious or poorly communicated and perhaps a breach of good patient-physician etiquette, but not a breach of medical ethics or substandard practice.
I'm also not sure what calling the insurance company will do. It's highly unlikely they will drop the practice from their panel- basically the insurance cos. all want as many providers as they can get to sign on with them- big panels are what consumers want. I think a letter to the practice itself and the checkbook.org and other forums may be your best bet. |
Anonymous
| Well, I think altering a medical form, following a dispute with a patient is an ethics violation. |
Anonymous
Agreed. It's fruadulent. |