Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

Why don't the doctors just tell him that they need more time to address his concerns properly, rather than dismissing his concerns?


Won't happen. Unlike engineers, doctors are trained to come up with a diagnosis given whatever subset of information can be presented to them and understood by them in the time allowed. The main source of their information is not even the patient, but prevalence (i.e. prior probabilities). It's a 80/20 sort of system, really more like 95/5.

It's a lot like YC office hours actually. Though doctors have less time than YC partners. And doctors get paid per appointment.

In general, it's not useful to think of doctors as engineers. The line doctors work is much more tech support - lots of similar highly repeatable cases, with a well understood script. The ones that are more like engineers are doing research in research hospitals and writing that script. They still see some patients as part of their work, but appointment reimbursements are not a profit center for them, but part of their research.


When making an appointment, my GP's assistant explicitly asks whether you've got multiple complaints, and if so, to list them; before explaining that in that case, they can reserve more time.

Then again, my previous GP said he had 7 minutes per consultation.

(FWIW, I’m in the Netherlands).


I don't know. Maybe they do? Maybe OP needs a different doctor who is more aligned with what he/she wants.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: