The doc has no idea

[gorilla monsoon]

After going OTB five weeks ago Mrs Monsoon had to go back to the medical centre for twice weekly re-dressing of the wounds to her knee.

On the last visit the doctor breezed into the dressing area for a look and suggested to my wife that she should have been wearing protective clothing.

Mrs Monsoon said she had indeed been wearing protective clothing - a helmet, gloves and shoes - but the doctor reckoned she should have been wearing leathers. When she was told that the injuries occurred while riding a bicycle rather than a motorcycle the doctor said: "yes, I know. But you should still have been wearing full protective clothing like motocross riders wear."

My wife politely laughed at the doc and suggested that if riders were wearing that sort of clobber then they wouldn't be riding far enough to get any injuries. At that stage the doc left the room in a huff.

I guess the doctor doesn't do any riding, then.

[Nobody]

I'd say GPs would find it tough to find any time to ride a bike anyway.

[Comedian]

Well they wouldn't want you riding... more people that ride = less business over all for them. Less popping back in for blood pressure, anti depressants, diabetes, and heart disease pills. Less referrals to specialists etc. That's the good money.

They might miss out on the occasional accident damage but I'm dam sure they would make far more money from all of the above.

[rustychisel]

Most medico's would far rather see a lot less of you, actually. Most genuinely care for their patient's wellbeing.

No, I'm not in the medical field, although one of my good friends and riding companions is an MD and cyclist (& she wears lycra and knows what she's talking about).
Perhaps you and she can gently educate this tossbox a little in a subsequent visit?

[DrJay]

A good GP is a wonderful thing. Someone who actually knows you and can easily assess a current issue in the light of the context. Unfortunately they tend to be booked out, and at medical centres you really face a bit of a lottery, and someone who is trying to get to grips with the context as well as the issue, often without the time to assess either terribly satisfactorily.

I'm not a GP, that's much harder than my specialty.

I'm certainly pleased when I can see my patients a bit less often. I was pleased to day to be able to say (to my surprise) to one of my patients that I'd see him in 8 weeks rather than 4 for his depression, as he had made an excellent response to a fairly small dose of an older antidepressant. I love it when patients just need to drop in every 6 or 12 months for monitoring, and they can tell me how life is recovered from their depression or bipolar disorder or psychosis. That's fun.

Aside from that, I imagine a medical centre doctor always has more than enough patients waiting out there, they'd be keen on anything that promotes health, he's simply probably mistaken, and frustrated with an injury that he sees as more avoidable than it actually is.

We medicos aren't always good at keeping our mouths shut when we should, and I have to include myself in that category from time to time.

[The Womble]

My sister in law went to a superclinic last week after her second eye closed up (the first closed a week earlier) and with a weeks worth of vomiting and complete loss of appetitie. The doctor told her it could be an allergy and gave her Anti-histomines. Told her to come back in a week
When the MIL finally got her into the family GP he diagnosed Conjunctivitis and Tonsilitis, severe in both cases. She wouldn't have lasted another 2 days the way she was going.
Superclinics suck.

[McGoo]

My sister in law went to a superclinic last week after her second eye closed up (the first closed a week earlier) and with a weeks worth of vomiting and complete loss of appetitie. The doctor told her it could be an allergy and gave her Anti-histomines. Told her to come back in a week
When the MIL finally got her into the family GP he diagnosed Conjunctivitis and Tonsilitis, severe in both cases. She wouldn't have lasted another 2 days the way she was going.
Superclinics suck.

I think the first doctor sucked, not the superclinic. Unless their job application specifically mentions "must be a douche", in which case the superclinic would indeed suck.

[The Womble]

It seems to be with many of them that those that run these clinics are more concerned about patient numbers than patient consultations. Try finding any doctor in a clinic offering a full medical or a simple 30 minute consultation for anything that requires an expert medical opinion.
That being said, my wife and I do know a couple of docs at clinics who are very thorough, but they're the exception. Give me a proper family doctor any day. They're worth the extra you pay.

[gorilla monsoon]

Let me clarify: Mrs Monsoon did not see our regular doctor. She was having the dressings done by a nurse and a doctor - any doctor that happened to be free - apparently had to check the wound before it was re-dressed.

Our regular family doc supports our cycling (supports any form of physical activity in general) and would rather fix small issues with exercise than with medication.

In fact when my wife first presented to him his words were along the lines of: "at least you were doing something healthy when you crashed".

We just thought it amusing that this doctor thought we should all be out in full leathers.

[fatherofmany]

Maybe these would help
or

[ColinOldnCranky]

Of course, after being fuly enclosed in leathers what have you got? No abrasions (which I admit can be serious on occasion though not often fatal).

But then perhaps that clobber should also have an internal frame so that the chance of spinal injury or broken bones is reduced. Or fit an exoskeleton around it! Starting to sound as if the logical option when riding is to fit pedals to a car.

Everything good in life carries a risk, we just have to manage it down to acceptable levels and then keep the fingers crossed.

[gorilla monsoon]

Hear, hear!

[foo on patrol]

You left out severe dehydration as well Colin. There's halfwits in every profession.

[elantra]

It seems to be with many of them that those that run these clinics are more concerned about patient numbers than patient consultations. Try finding any doctor in a clinic offering a full medical or a simple 30 minute consultation for anything that requires an expert medical opinion.
That being said, my wife and I do know a couple of docs at clinics who are very thorough, but they're the exception. Give me a proper family doctor any day. They're worth the extra you pay.

Superclinics is to medicine what Huffy is to bikes ?

[munga]

so some opinionated twat happens to be a doctor. whoopee! 3 dr's at my local medical centre are cyclists