question from a pediatrician

[Anonymous]

Agree with the pp that often low-income patients want something tangible for their kid. These are people who often cannot afford to just go to CVS and spend 10 bucks on some symptom relief, so they take their medicaid card and go to the ER. They want something tangible, so if you have the ability to give freebie OTC symptom-relieving medications, that would probably be a big help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Hey, i'm a pediatrician in a busy ER - I often see children who have waited several hours to be told they have a virus. I find that no matter how much I explain that viral and bacterial infections are different and that there is no evidence of bacterial infection in their child, parents often leave dissatisfied if they leave without an antibiotic prescription. Many parents also want antibiotics to "prevent" a more serious infection from occurring and don't really believe that antibiotics can't be used as prevention.
What would you need to hear to trust that doctor's advice that your child does not need antibiotics?

Recall, I'm working in an ER; they don't know me and may never see me again even if they return to the ER, so I don't have the luxury of trusted relationship that a primary care physician does.

LIsten, Doc, you are working and living in an area where people believe they are entitled to anything they want. They probably do know the difference between a virus and bacerial infection but they don't care. They want what they want when they want it. They probably go to their Ped the next day and tell them that the ER doc paid no attention to little Susie, Sally, Tommy, whatever, but just because you went to medical school doesn't make you an expert on their little darling. Good luck.