My dictionary defines patient as “one who is receiving medical care”.
Every patient that I see comes to me with a prescription from his/her
medical doctor. We are working on behalf of the doctor for his/her
patient.
I know orthotists who refer to their patients as clients. I have a
problem with this as it gives the perception that we are a sales force.
While all of us, including medical doctors, are selling something, we
are also providing an evaluation service for the patients in the name of
the doctor(through the prescription). I mean no offense when I refer to
the patient as “my patient”. It’s just short for “the patient who was
sent to me from Dr. Who who is asking for my help in evaluating for a
problem and providing the solution to that problem”.
Perhaps we should also discuss the use of the words “prosthetic” and
“orthotic” as nouns rather than adjectives:-)
Harold Anderson, CO
> —–Original Message—–
> From: Stephen Fletcher [SMTP:[email protected]]
> Sent: Thursday, October 22, 1998 6:52 AM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Respect issues -Reply
>
> In response to the recent posting regarding referrring to amputees as
> “patients” instead of “clients”.
>
> I have to respectively disagree with the authors assertion that a
> Prosthetist is no more than a tradesman, or mechanic, who is hired to
> fill
> an order for a part or supply. I believe that there is a very
> important
> distinction between care giver and mechanic.
>
> Perhaps it is because I work in a hospital setting, but I do not
> believe any
> of the patients that I provide care for, see out relationship as one
> where
> a customer is hiring a mechanic to build them something. Of course
> there
> is a part of what we do that is technical and requires reimbursement.
> However, I think that it is degrading to the entire Prosthetic
> profession to
> look at what we do as the same as a mechanic.
>
> Without getting to longwinded here, I will pose a couple of questions
> myself.
> Is the patient / Physical Therapist relationship any different? They
> are
> hired to provide a service. They are paid to do so.
> Is the patient / Surgeon relationship any different? They are hired
> to
> work on the body and are also paid to do so.
>
> I do not believe that prosthetists are intentionally trying to offend
> amputees by referring to them as patients, but when we are called in
> as
> part of the rehabilitation team to assist with getting a person back
> on their
> feet, or back to work, they see it as a patient / care giver
> relationship.
> Thanks for letting me vent a little.
> Steve Fletcher, CPO
> Shands Hospital at the University of Florida
