The Doctor Will See You Now [Non-Fiction]

Chapter 138: General Medicine

A woman is admitted to the medical ward with a chest infection, for which she is given antibiotics. She has no significant past medical history but her admission ECG shows an abnormal pattern, which is probably congenital (since she was born) and she has never had any relevant symptoms or family history of heart problems. As a result, this is likely just something we need to know rather than act upon, although the cardiac team advised for an inpatient echocardiogram (ultrasound of her heart to look for structural problems and function) just as part of her work-up.

Due to an influx of patients with cardiac issues at the same time requiring echocardiograms, there is a huge queue and a waiting time of at least one week, or even two. After one week, she is fed up due to lack of rest in the hospital and wishes for discharge.

Because she hasn't had her full cardiac work-up yet, I explain that, whilst her infection is controlled and she is fit for home for that aspect, I can't discharge her yet until her echo has been done, as that was the advice by the cardiologist. If she is keen on discharge, she will have to sign herself out but I can arrange an outpatient echo for her. Outpatient echos have a waiting time of about a year (which is depressing, but we don't have the manpower). I explain this to her.

"But a year is such a long wait!" she says. "Can't you just make it sooner?"

Yes. It can be within the next week if you stay an inpatient. But you're signing yourself out. So you wait as an outpatient like everyone else. I can't magic myself an echo nurse. She refuses to stay, which is fine. She also refuses to go private for the echo, which is fine.

"Can't you just book me in for next week?"

Sure. Let me just allow you to skip the queue because you don't want to wait for a free scan, like everyone else, but also want to sign yourself out of hospital. Should I ensure a time that's suitable for your schedule too? And maybe get a chauffeur to fetch you to the scanning room?