The Doctor Will See You Now [Non-Fiction]

Chapter 129: Acute Medicine

A woman is admitted with a chest infection, for which she completes her antibiotics. During her assessment, we note she has a collapsed bone in her spine (T12), which is an unusual spot in someone without cancer. A further CT scan and then MRI shows a collection around the T12, which could be infection, cancer, or cerebrospinal fluid.

I consult the orthopaedic doctors, who reviewed her with the spinal surgeon, and they suggest for a CT-guided drainage of the collection to further workup this collection. The procedure can only be done by interventional radiology at a different hospital.

I ask the orthopaedic doctors if they will take over her care, considering her chest infection, the medical issue, is now sorted.

"But why?" was the irritated reply. "She's a medical patient."

"Yeah, and her medical issue is now sorted. She can be discharged. It's just the orthopaedic issue that's outstanding now."

"That's not our problem." (Lol, isn't it?) "You ask for our opinion. We've given it."

So the orthopaedics won't take over a medical patient with an orthopaedic problem (the T12 fracture and collection), for which she needs an orthopaedic intervention done by interventional radiology (the CT-guided drainage), and then probably further orthopaedic treatment.

And instead, this woman has to stay on a medical ward without a medical problem, get transferred to the other hospital also under medicine (as I have no authority to transfer a patient to a different specialty without their agreement) for an orthopaedic intervention for an orthopaedic problem, then transfer her back to my medical ward, so I can get the orthopaedic doctors to come see her again.

Freaking politics.