Author Topic: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors  (Read 2350 times)

jeromedawg

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5174
  • Age: 2019
  • Location: Orange County, CA
Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« on: February 07, 2022, 09:24:06 AM »
Hi all,

So I've been looking around for a new PCP and came across a doctor who looks pretty good. I was talking to my wife about it when we connected the dots - there's one mom that she talks to at our kids' school (I just met her the other day in fact) where our kids are in the same class and play together. My wife talked about this family and the husband being a doctor, so it didn't occur to me at first but obviously the last name, and then my wife having seen her FB page w/ pictures of the husband and then seeing the profile pic of him on the medical group website just now she was like "oh that's definitely him" hahaha

Would it be weird to see this doctor? The other reason I'm considering him is because the office is literally right around the corner - there was another doctor I was previously interested in seeing at this office but he's no longer accepting new patients and this other doctor is one of the ones there and he seems to have good reviews too.
« Last Edit: February 07, 2022, 09:25:51 AM by jeromedawg »

cool7hand

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1319
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #1 on: February 07, 2022, 09:34:40 AM »
I don't think this is an easy question to answer. I have some friends whom I'd love to have as a PCP. Others not so much. When I think about what differs between the two types of friends, those whom I would want as a PCP are further along on the hero's journey that is the spirit of each lived life. Those are the people who (a) would be less likely to infect the doctor-patient relationship with their own neuroses and (b) would be more likely to respond compassionately when others' neuroses about their own health interfere with the friendship. Of course, none of this will work unless you or the members of your family are capable of mirroring the same rules.

Morning Glory

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4884
  • Location: The Garden Path
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2022, 09:38:43 AM »
It sounds like you never even met the guy and your wives are just casual acquaintances??? Nothing to worry about there.

jeromedawg

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5174
  • Age: 2019
  • Location: Orange County, CA
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2022, 09:42:51 AM »
It sounds like you never even met the guy and your wives are just casual acquaintances??? Nothing to worry about there.

No, haven't met. Our wives just started talking probably in the past few months or so. I'm assuming I should completely avoid any mention or clue of us knowing who he is (I would think that might sound stalkerish LOL), and if the topic/subject comes up of the kids' school and our wives etc just pretend to act surprised and "oh wow, such a small world" lol

Catbert

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3330
  • Location: Southern California
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2022, 09:50:20 AM »
It sounds like you never even met the guy and your wives are just casual acquaintances??? Nothing to worry about there.

No, haven't met. Our wives just started talking probably in the past few months or so. I'm assuming I should completely avoid any mention or clue of us knowing who he is (I would think that might sound stalkerish LOL), and if the topic/subject comes up of the kids' school and our wives etc just pretend to act surprised and "oh wow, such a small world" lol

I wouldn't worry about this at all.  Just don't go out of your way to mention the connection either at the school or doctor's office.

jeromedawg

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5174
  • Age: 2019
  • Location: Orange County, CA
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2022, 10:03:25 AM »
It sounds like you never even met the guy and your wives are just casual acquaintances??? Nothing to worry about there.

No, haven't met. Our wives just started talking probably in the past few months or so. I'm assuming I should completely avoid any mention or clue of us knowing who he is (I would think that might sound stalkerish LOL), and if the topic/subject comes up of the kids' school and our wives etc just pretend to act surprised and "oh wow, such a small world" lol

I wouldn't worry about this at all.  Just don't go out of your way to mention the connection either at the school or doctor's office.

Part of me just feels uncomfortable at the notion of if the relationship between the wives grows and gets to the point of the other wife saying "hey why don't you guys all come over to hangout" - I wouldn't imagine this happening any time soon though. But obviously, the relationship patients have with their doctors is pretty vulnerable and private so I would imagine things could get awkward in that kind of a setting (e.g. went in to see the doc 6 months ago for a full physical wearing nothing but a gown and here we are today, hanging out in their backyard lol). I'm sure many doctors out there deal with things like this though. It would be interesting to hear from the doctors here on the matter.
« Last Edit: February 07, 2022, 10:05:13 AM by jeromedawg »

JGS1980

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 908
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #6 on: February 07, 2022, 11:54:57 AM »
It sounds like you never even met the guy and your wives are just casual acquaintances??? Nothing to worry about there.

No, haven't met. Our wives just started talking probably in the past few months or so. I'm assuming I should completely avoid any mention or clue of us knowing who he is (I would think that might sound stalkerish LOL), and if the topic/subject comes up of the kids' school and our wives etc just pretend to act surprised and "oh wow, such a small world" lol

I wouldn't worry about this at all.  Just don't go out of your way to mention the connection either at the school or doctor's office.

Part of me just feels uncomfortable at the notion of if the relationship between the wives grows and gets to the point of the other wife saying "hey why don't you guys all come over to hangout" - I wouldn't imagine this happening any time soon though. But obviously, the relationship patients have with their doctors is pretty vulnerable and private so I would imagine things could get awkward in that kind of a setting (e.g. went in to see the doc 6 months ago for a full physical wearing nothing but a gown and here we are today, hanging out in their backyard lol). I'm sure many doctors out there deal with things like this though. It would be interesting to hear from the doctors here on the matter.

I'm a PCP and live and work in the same community. Not a big deal. We are really good at keeping our mouths shut about EVERYTHING as well. Comes with the job.

BUT... if you are hitting me up on my cell phone for a Zpak or something, then that's abusing the friendship a bit and gets some pushback.

Cranky

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3853
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #7 on: February 07, 2022, 02:05:30 PM »
The area we just moved from was pretty - small? Intertwined?

If I hadn’t gone to a doctor I didn’t know at least a little bit socially I wouldn’t have gone to any doctors. See also: lawyers, my kids’ teachers, checkout people at the store…

Abe

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2647
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #8 on: February 07, 2022, 07:01:37 PM »
I’d say not a big deal. However they may transfer your care to someone else if you all become direct friends to avoid any appearances of favoritism. It’s a different story if they’re the only doctor around.

AMandM

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1687
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #9 on: February 08, 2022, 06:58:15 AM »
My father and my husband both see the same PCP, who is a member of our parish and social acquaintance. In fact, they chose him as their primary on the basis of their social knowledge of his attitude and philosophy. His wife is a former colleague of DH's, and she and I are friendly and have done volunteer work together. It's not awkward at all--we just don't discuss medical matters in social circumstances. We live in a major metropolitan area, not a small town.

sonofsven

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2061
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #10 on: February 08, 2022, 08:25:10 AM »
My pcp is a fellow hardcore salmon fisherman. I think he spends more time with me than his other patients, since I get out on the water more and have all the latest info and fish pics.

jeromedawg

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5174
  • Age: 2019
  • Location: Orange County, CA
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #11 on: February 08, 2022, 09:06:40 AM »
My pcp is a fellow hardcore salmon fisherman. I think he spends more time with me than his other patients, since I get out on the water more and have all the latest info and fish pics.

lol that's awesome. I love fishing too. I take it you're in the PNW?

sonofsven

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2061
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #12 on: February 08, 2022, 09:49:24 AM »
Yes, on the coast.

Tig_

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1018
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #13 on: February 08, 2022, 10:40:16 AM »
DH is a PCP.  I've had his friends/faculty/coworkers as my PCP and the PCP for our kids and the delivery team for our kids.  He's still in training so all our friends are his coworkers and doctors are notoriously bad at... going to the doctor. So haven't had friends use him yet as their PCP.

I love feeling more comfortable to push them in some areas/ask more questions and I feel like they do give me a bit more time in the room, put through referrals faster, etc.

I wouldn't hide the relationship connection unless you were super uncomfortable with it, and then I just wouldn't use him.  PCPs (Family Medicine at least, not sure about those trained in Internal) are meant to serve the whole family/whole person and relish getting to know patients as more than just a 15minute block of time in their day a few times a year.  Running into patients at the gas station, grocery store, etc is a part of life on their end and they know how to be professional about it.

jeromedawg

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5174
  • Age: 2019
  • Location: Orange County, CA
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #14 on: February 08, 2022, 10:41:03 AM »
Yes, on the coast.

Nice. When was the last time the albacore were around in your parts? We haven't had them in a long time down this way. Haha, I'm derailing my own thread... on that topic: I scheduled an appointment with the doctor for this Thursday as I saw something open up. I figured I'll just jump on it and if it doesn't work out I can always change. I need to have *something* done about my left wrist (bad tendonitis or possibly arthritis) - it's also one of the big reasons I haven't been fishing as much as I'd like to.

jeromedawg

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5174
  • Age: 2019
  • Location: Orange County, CA
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #15 on: February 08, 2022, 10:44:31 AM »
DH is a PCP.  I've had his friends/faculty/coworkers as my PCP and the PCP for our kids and the delivery team for our kids.  He's still in training so all our friends are his coworkers and doctors are notoriously bad at... going to the doctor. So haven't had friends use him yet as their PCP.

I love feeling more comfortable to push them in some areas/ask more questions and I feel like they do give me a bit more time in the room, put through referrals faster, etc.

I wouldn't hide the relationship connection unless you were super uncomfortable with it, and then I just wouldn't use him.  PCPs (Family Medicine at least, not sure about those trained in Internal) are meant to serve the whole family/whole person and relish getting to know patients as more than just a 15minute block of time in their day a few times a year.  Running into patients at the gas station, grocery store, etc is a part of life on their end and they know how to be professional about it.

Thanks for your feedback and perspective - that makes perfect sense. I probably won't say anything about how our wives know each other because I still think it might come off as a bit stalkerish hahaha. I'll let the conversation progress on its own course and if the subject comes up and we make that connection then great. Or if we happen to see each other at school (my wife says she thinks she's seen him picking up their kids), then it'll just be a coincidence :)

sonofsven

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2061
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #16 on: February 08, 2022, 07:11:55 PM »
Yes, on the coast.

Nice. When was the last time the albacore were around in your parts? We haven't had them in a long time down this way. Haha, I'm derailing my own thread... on that topic: I scheduled an appointment with the doctor for this Thursday as I saw something open up. I figured I'll just jump on it and if it doesn't work out I can always change. I need to have *something* done about my left wrist (bad tendonitis or possibly arthritis) - it's also one of the big reasons I haven't been fishing as much as I'd like to.

They're here summer into fall, sometimes thirty miles off shore, sometimes farther. They're out of my range, but sometimes  I buy them from a seafood version of a csa.

Catbert

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3330
  • Location: Southern California
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #17 on: February 09, 2022, 12:54:31 PM »
Seems that you and he live in the same neighborhood because your children go to the same school.  He's chosen to have his office in the same area so I'm sure he anticipates the venn diagram will have some (lots?) overlap.


trollwithamustache

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1146
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #18 on: February 09, 2022, 01:18:54 PM »
Mom-school friendships seem to come and go. Next year your kids might not be in the same classroom, or whatever schedule changes when they volunteer ect,  and if your wives aren't besties, the friendship drifts away.

The risk of your wives cooking up a couples trip to Hedonism in Jamaica seems acceptably low.

jeromedawg

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5174
  • Age: 2019
  • Location: Orange County, CA
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #19 on: February 10, 2022, 09:43:54 AM »
Mom-school friendships seem to come and go. Next year your kids might not be in the same classroom, or whatever schedule changes when they volunteer ect,  and if your wives aren't besties, the friendship drifts away.

The risk of your wives cooking up a couples trip to Hedonism in Jamaica seems acceptably low.

lol yea, I'm in agreement. It's highly unlikely things will develop much further. They text but she said the other wife keeps it short.

GreenSheep

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1073
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #20 on: February 15, 2022, 05:00:47 PM »
I don't think I'd be worried about someone you're seeing for a wrist, but for someone you might end up seeing for more personal things... I read somewhere a long time ago that it's wise to choose a doctor who's 10+ years older or younger so you're less likely to be in the same social group. Obviously that doesn't apply if you tend to have friends of varying ages! A doctor who also happens to be my close friend is one thing, but things could get awkward if it's not a "tell each other everything" type of friend and there's a personal issue, or maybe you just disagree with the medical care they recommend or a change in their billing or whatever. Kinda like having a friend/acquaintance be your financial advisor. Seems like shaky territory, but I guess it depends on your personality and theirs.

jeromedawg

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5174
  • Age: 2019
  • Location: Orange County, CA
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #21 on: April 22, 2022, 09:18:58 AM »
Update: so our kid had an open house last night and we ended up running into the doctor and his family lol. It was awkward though because the wives greeted each other but his wife didn't introduce us to her husband (doctor) and he also didn't come over - my wife has seen him on a few occasions but has still never formally met him. Anyway, I don't know if he recognized me and if at that point he was trying to avoid me but that's almost what it felt like. I was looking for an opening to "introduce" myself so that we could both come to that moment of realization ("Oh he's my patient" and "Oh he's my doctor") but it never materialized. Apparently their daughter plays tag with our son and so they were doing that in this little 20x30 classroom pod that all the parents were crammed in, so that made it even more awkward. The husband/doc actually seems like a sociable guy too as he was introducing himself to other parents but he seemed to be avoiding us - we walked directly by each other at least half a dozen times lol. I could also chalk it up to the very first appointment with him being a couple months ago and him just not realizing I am one of his patients and forgetting what I look like.... when I first saw him I actually didn't recognize him either. And we were all wearing masks as well.

Anyway, I'm not quite sure what to do next - do I wait until the next appointment with him (this could be months to a year from now) then just casually bring up something like "Hey do you have kids at the elementary school? I think you were there at open house but I wasn't 100% sure it was you..." or do I have my wife ask his wife something along the same lines: "My husband wants to know if yours works at the medical office off ABC street - he said he looks familiar" the next time they see each other? Or do I try to make another pass at approaching and greeting him at whatever the next event is (which I don't even know...) lol
« Last Edit: April 22, 2022, 09:21:30 AM by jeromedawg »

Runrooster

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 493
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #22 on: April 22, 2022, 09:42:15 AM »
My family is riddled with doctors, one of which is out of town writes prescriptions for me so I don't have to take time off work.
When I needed a couple of doctors, my PCP SIL referrred me to friends of hers.  I've run into both of them in social occasions.  I waited for both of them to "recognize" me in the social event, so as not to impose on their personal time, but both remembered me.  They don't discuss the medical connection during social events, but have mentioned the social events during my medical visits. 

jeromedawg

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5174
  • Age: 2019
  • Location: Orange County, CA
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #23 on: April 22, 2022, 10:26:10 AM »
My family is riddled with doctors, one of which is out of town writes prescriptions for me so I don't have to take time off work.
When I needed a couple of doctors, my PCP SIL referrred me to friends of hers.  I've run into both of them in social occasions.  I waited for both of them to "recognize" me in the social event, so as not to impose on their personal time, but both remembered me.  They don't discuss the medical connection during social events, but have mentioned the social events during my medical visits.

Same here - most of them are out in Texas though so no locals. But if we have any pressing questions/needs, there's usually someone we can ask which is nice :)

But yea, I was kind of waiting for the doc to recognize me similar to what you describe. Except either he didn't OR he did and was being bashful about it. I really wish his wife would have just introduced us though when we approached and walked by them, since that's a common courtesy type of thing to do. That would have been the most natural opening to "connect the dots"

Villanelle

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 6691
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #24 on: April 22, 2022, 10:50:51 AM »
Update: so our kid had an open house last night and we ended up running into the doctor and his family lol. It was awkward though because the wives greeted each other but his wife didn't introduce us to her husband (doctor) and he also didn't come over - my wife has seen him on a few occasions but has still never formally met him. Anyway, I don't know if he recognized me and if at that point he was trying to avoid me but that's almost what it felt like. I was looking for an opening to "introduce" myself so that we could both come to that moment of realization ("Oh he's my patient" and "Oh he's my doctor") but it never materialized. Apparently their daughter plays tag with our son and so they were doing that in this little 20x30 classroom pod that all the parents were crammed in, so that made it even more awkward. The husband/doc actually seems like a sociable guy too as he was introducing himself to other parents but he seemed to be avoiding us - we walked directly by each other at least half a dozen times lol. I could also chalk it up to the very first appointment with him being a couple months ago and him just not realizing I am one of his patients and forgetting what I look like.... when I first saw him I actually didn't recognize him either. And we were all wearing masks as well.

Anyway, I'm not quite sure what to do next - do I wait until the next appointment with him (this could be months to a year from now) then just casually bring up something like "Hey do you have kids at the elementary school? I think you were there at open house but I wasn't 100% sure it was you..." or do I have my wife ask his wife something along the same lines: "My husband wants to know if yours works at the medical office off ABC street - he said he looks familiar" the next time they see each other? Or do I try to make another pass at approaching and greeting him at whatever the next event is (which I don't even know...) lol

He may well have been trying to respect your privacy, since you are the patient in the scenario.  I'd have approached him and said, "hey, Dr. Smith!  I didn't realize you had a kid in Timmy's class!".  (Well, that's what I would have done based on you wanting to pretend you didn't already know this."  Announcing you are his patient in front of a room full of people by saying something might have felt indiscrete to him, so I can see why he left it up to you. 

I think the pretending is silly.  Have your wife mention it to his wife.  "My husband recently started seeing a new doctor, and I connected the dots and realized it is probably your husband.  he's got a practice on main street, right?"  Then at your next appointment, you can mention it as well.  the longer you continue the charade of not knowing, when you know full-well, the more awkward it gets, and I think for privacy/confidentiality reasons, you will need to be the one to bring it up first. 

secondcor521

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5532
  • Age: 54
  • Location: Boise, Idaho
  • Big cattle, no hat.
    • Age of Eon - Overwatch player videos
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #25 on: April 22, 2022, 10:59:13 AM »
You're waaaay overthinking and overly worried about it IMHO.

My Dad is a retired OB/GYN and I grew up in a small town, so he probably treated and/or delivered babies and/or did hysterectomies on most of my friends' mothers, my friends' older sisters, and possibly even some of my female friends.

My sister is a family practice doc, my BIL is a pulmonologist / ER doc / sleep doctor, and my best friend in high school is a urologist.  I have a good friend who's husband is an OB/GYN in the same practice my father used to be in, and of course I knew the other doctors who worked with my Dad.

In absolutely all cases, all of the doctors were absolutely professional:

1.  They have never (and I believe would never) discuss my or anyone I knew's medical issues or history with anyone.  Definitely never anyone outside the family, and only inside the family when I was a minor child and then only with my parents.  With HIPAA now, they are even more restrictive with whom they discuss medical matters.

2.  This would extend to social gatherings.  The fact that this guy is your doctor is nobody else's business, so even mentioning that in a public conversation is not his to bring up because your medical stuff is your private stuff.  If you wanted to say "Hey, Doc" at the next soccer game I'm sure he would be polite and say "Hi" back.

3.  It doesn't mean they're your friend, though.  He may or may not like you personally.  He probably has hundreds of patients, and among them are certainly some he doesn't particularly care for on a personal level.  That being said, all doctors I know will still provide the best medical care they can regardless of how they feel personally about a patient.

4.  I was also trained this way just as a doctor's kid.  When I was in high school I volunteered as a candy striper, and we were under strict orders not to discuss anything.  If we recognized anyone, again, that was their private business.

5.  You also should not, as a previous poster mentioned, be unprofessional to your doctor.  It is not appropriate to ask your doctor about a weird mole at your kids' soccer game.  Make an appointment with their office and talk about it there.

6.  If you're still weirded out about it or if you don't like the doctor for whatever reason, then it's perfectly fine to change doctors.  The doctor you change away from won't care and you won't hurt his feelings.

7.  By the time doctors become doctors, they've seen a bunch of human bodies doing a bunch of strange, gross, private, weird things, and they've probably answered a bunch of strange / odd / unusual medical questions.  After a while it's all just body parts and they really generally aren't impressed / embarrassed / offended / surprised.  99% of the time what you might have going on medically is probably something they've seen a hundred times before.  So even though a patient might feel awkward, prostate exams, Pap smears, colonoscopies, breast exams, etc. are all just par for the course for the doctor (even more so for urologists, gastroenterologists, and OB/GYNs).

FWIW to this day I know probably hundreds of women from my home town and I know absolutely zero about which of them (if any) had babies, miscarriages, hysterectomies, STDs, yeast infections, Caesarean sections, or anything else of the sort.  Same goes for the patients of my sister, BIL, my best friend, and my friend's husband and all the other doctors in my Dad's former practice.
« Last Edit: April 22, 2022, 11:03:02 AM by secondcor521 »

oldladystache

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 947
  • Age: 79
  • Location: coastal southern california
Re: Question on friends/acquaintances and doctors
« Reply #26 on: April 22, 2022, 11:57:12 AM »
Back in the 1950s and early 60s our family doctor had his office down the street from the church we and he belonged to. I think he was the doctor of many, possibly most, of the members. His son was my brother's best friend in high school. Nobody ever expressed any concern.

One of my high school classmates became a gynecologist and that seemed weird. I wouldn't have ever considered going to him.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!