Do angry patients think the college is an outlet? Let me suggest something

One year ago, Mr. Y called to confirm his and his children’s appointments. But when he was informed that he would be seen by a nurse practitioner, he refused and insisted on seeing me for a minor issue that could have been easily dealt with by the NP. After he was denied the switch, he became angry and decided to cancel all appointments and instructed the staff to remove him and his children from our roster. The staff sent me a message through the EMR, informing me of Mr. Y’s request to be removed from the roster. His request was documented in the chart and in order to avoid any penalties in case he sought medical care from other doctors, he and his children were de-rostered Almost a year later, Mr. Y called and requested an appointment with me. However, the staff informed him that he was no longer our patient as he had been removed from the roster, as per his own request. Mr. Y denied ever making such a request and stated that he had been unable to find a doctor in the meantime. The staff informed him that they couldn’t give him an appointment since he was no longer our patient. Mr. Y was angry and hung up. A few hours later, he contacted the college of physicians and surgeons and complained that we had removed him without his knowledge and demanded that the college ask me to take him and his kids back as conveyed to me through my portal where I received the complaint and also directly from the college investigator. The investigator was intelligent, understanding and took the time to hear our side of the story. Ultimately, he understood the entire picture, and the matter was resolved amicably. His insight allowed him to grasp the situation with ease. But what if I wasn’t lucky enough to have such an understanding investigator? Read: Dr. Jabir Jassam: Are we obligated to fill out disability forms? It has become apparent that certain patients approach the college to settle scores, or in misguided hope that the college would cover their errors. Though the complaint had nothing to do with my care and the college took no action, I couldn’t help but feel angered as I realized that as medical professionals, we’re constantly at risk of being the target of people’s frustration for no reason except for being doctors. It seems we’re like fish in a pond, consumed hungrily by those seeking care, only to be cursed and blamed when they encounter an unexpected bone. Sometimes patients are not fully aware of their duties and responsibilities, reaching the point that they believe that they always have the upper hand while we are way down, which results in doctors feeling undervalued and even seeking to leave the profession altogether. My suggestion Although convincing the colleges may prove difficult—and my suggestion may not bring them cheer—I have a suggestion that I believe can make our lives easier in this time of stress with more doctors than ever contemplating leaving medicine. My suggestion is that patients pay a fee of $200 to $300 for each complaint they file against doctors as a processing fee. This approach would encourage patients to think twice and consider the implications of their complaints and deter them from acting impulsively. It’s important to recognize that some complaints may be founded on a desire for revenge or may stem from misunderstanding a situation which has nothing to do with patients’ care. In such cases, the complainant is required to pay the administration fee in order to proceed otherwise the process would be automatically denied. I’ve heard there are a few countries out there that charge patients for any complaint they file against doctors—although I am not certain which ones but I know they are there. During the past three months, three of my colleagues have received letters from the college regarding complaints that have nothing to do with them. Rather, these complaints are disputes between patients and the staff, but the burden rests with the doctors. While I recognize that the college cannot reject a patient’s complaint without any investigation, and despite my confidence in the investigators’ ability to reach the truth, I strongly believe that the matter would be more practical and effective if patients stopped making superficial complaints that serve nothing other than their own satisfaction but cause a lot of stress and worry for their doctors. Dr. Jabir Jassam is a family physician in Ottawa.

Do angry patients think the college is an outlet? Let me suggest something

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