CORONAVIRUS TO CONSCIOUSNESS
Perspectives from the Intuitive Cardiologist.
So yesterday at work started off in a very unique way.
My front desk staff comes running over to inform me that there was a patient on the line that had to speak to me urgently.
I was in the middle of “seeing” patients or doing “TELEMEDICINE” on the phone either way was busy helping others.
I inquired as to the nature of the emergency. Apparently he was having some arm pain. He then proceeded to ask ALEXA what his symptoms could be. “She” said it was a heart attack and so he called me as his cardiologist.
I was dumbfounded. I actually for a few moments could not think.
I turned to my staff member in disbelief…. “ So you are telling me that he asked a device for advice instead of calling me first?”
Well long story short, I did speak to him and went through his symptoms in great detail and I was able to reassure him that his arm pain was not the resultant of an impending heart attack but in fact a muscle pull of his arm.
I have no problem in patients being empowered and investigating their symptoms to get a greater understanding and awareness of their body and health. In fact I promote it. But to use “ Dr Google” or bring me the entire 20 + pages printed out from Web MD about symptoms that have no bearing on their actual issues and argue that there is a correlation, is frankly disconcerting.
I realized that my being fully protected from head to toe for an office visit is superfluous when faced with my new medical competitor,the ALEXA. I am quite sure that Alexa will be able to prescribe what ever the heck she wants for diagnosis that carry no weight. The days of the medical professional are dubious at best at the rate the general public places faith in online programs and devices to diagnose their illnesses.
He was pleased and reassured that my 20+ years of experience was able to figure out the problem and bring him peace versus his 10 second encounter with a round hockey puck device sitting on his dining table smugly offering advice under the guise of a sexy name.
ALEXA 0
Dr Bhatnagar 1
Folks if you have any symptoms and you are not sure about, pick up the phone and call your health care professional. Most of us do not bite and are still for now in the business of helping and healing. Your health is far too valuable to be trusted into the hands of Amazon, even though it does send you toilet paper.
Hiding in the house due to social distancing is one thing, but hiding from yourself when your life could be at stake due to a fear, is just plain dumb. More on this later.
I should have told him that “ he will charged extra for internet or device based diagnoses” but I guess that’s the difference between a health care professional and a customer relations interface device.
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I love you
