I believe that Brian B is entirely responsible for his severe case of emphysema. First, Brian knew it was not a health habit when he began seeing Dr. L. Second, the doctor kept informing him at every visit that he needed to either quit completely or limit the amount of cigarettes he smokes daily. Even when the signs and symptoms of early emphysema began, Brian B. continued to smoke daily. The only thing that I could see the doctor doing differently would be to find a way to connect with the patient on a level that would make him understand the severe consequences. However, if the doctor had done these things you still cannot force a patient to quit smoking; they have to care enough to do it themselves. I also believe that it was acceptable for Dr. L to ask Brian to call in his appointments ahead of schedule. Due to the short staffed situation of the clinic, it would only make sense that he does so. Also, the doctor never refused care to Brian, he just told him to call in ahead of time.
I agree with Brittany’s points. The patient knows smoking can lead to ill effects on one’s health. His doctor warned him about it and it was his personal decision to keep smoking heavily against medical advice. Therefore, Brian holds accountability for the state of his current health problems caused by that choice to keep smoking. I feel the doctor had the right to ask Brian to call ahead and schedule appointments from now on in order to guarantee he would be able to see Dr. L in a routine type of situation. The doctor didn’t refuse to see Brian he just made it known that the clinic was short staffed and that without a scheduled appointment he couldn’t guarantee he could see him. However, appointments are a show of respect, both in the making and the keeping of them, so Dr. L might not be feeling that from Brian. From the view of virtue ethics the doctor’s continued availability would be required so long as he can be there for Brian without it conflicting with other values or principles because it’s the right thing to do.
I also agree with what Brittany and Melissa had to say. I believe that Brian is responsible for his emphysema. As mentioned, he was told what to do in order to avoid a situation like this, yet he still continued to smoke and is now upset by the fact that his health is sliding downhill. I believe that everyone has a right to complain, however, if you were told of the consequences ahead of time, then you cannot tell me that you didn't expect this. The doctor could have possibly explained to Brian what exactly is involved with the condition of emphysema, maybe shown him some pictures, directed him to some websites, supplied some medical books, etc... but in the end it was Brian's decision on whether or not he chose to hede the doctors warnings, and he, just like any of us, is responsible for the consequences resulting from his actions. As for the situation of Brian needing to make appointments, I believe that this is completely fair. I do not agree with the fact that the doctor is aggrevated with Brian, and that is the reason why he does not want to see Brian, even if a patient does not follow the orders we would like, we are not allowed to have our judgment influence our decision making concerning the patient's health. The doctor needs to state to Brian that the short staff is the reason for the appointment making, and not the fact that he is aggrevated with Brian. I believe that the doctor should still continue to see Brian as long as Brian wants/needs him. As for the virtue, the doctor should continue to be available, because that is his duty towards the patient, if the doctor does not want this duty, then he should reconsider his profession. The doctor's primary obligation is always to the patient.
I agree with all three girls above. Brian should be held responsible for his current condition. He was warned prior to reduce or quit smoking and the side effects not doing so might cause. However, in America there are many people who may be in the same situation where they were told continuing to do things would lead to certain outcomes yet did not change their lifestyle. This could be seen with a drug user who is back again and has overdosed, a teenager who insists on having an abortion yet continues to have sex, etc. It is the healthcare providers to take care of every patient. Dr L. had the right to ask him to schedule an appointment because of being shortstaffed NOT because she was irritated with him. But regardless Brian is still her patient. Helping him with his current medical condition should be just as important as the next patient because that is her duty as a doctor. Virtue of ethics does require the doctor continuing to be available for Brian, as well as the rest of his patients because that is his duty.
I agree with everyone that Brian is responsible for his severe case of emphysema. I know that quitting smoking is not an easy task but Brian did not even make an attempt at even cutting down. He has no excuse for continuing to smoke and cannot claim ignorance to the fact that he did not know what would happen if he continued to smoke. I, however, disagree with everyone on the second question. Dr. L does not have an obligation to continue to be available to Brian. Dr. L has done all he could to help Brian and now can do nothing more for him. Dr. L's obligations are toward everyone at the clinic who needs him. Now if Brian was paying to see Dr.L then that would be a different story. As he is not, he is taking up Dr. L's time which could be used to help other uninsured patients who have medical problems. If Brian needs someone to talk to there are many different support groups that he could be referred to by Dr. L. Dr. L is not Brian's friend. This might seem harsh, but providing health care is a business. Therapeutic relationships between patients and doctors are developed, not social ones.
If forgot to address virtue ethics, which calls in to question "what kind of person should I be?" Dr. L should ask himself should I be the kind of person who develops this social relationship with my patient or the kind of person who provides effective and healing healthcare to those in need. What is the right action in this situation. Caring for Brian, who is past any curative medical care since he chose to keep smoking, or to provide medical care to those patients in need who may be willing to listen to their doctors advice and get better.
I agree with the girls above in that it is completely Brian's fault that he now has emphysema. He was warned by his doctor, and surely was able to see the effects of smoking on other smokers, yet he continued to smoke.
I do agree with cgreen0911 though in that Brian should definitely be referred to a support group or mental health professional of some sort so that he will have appropriate people to express his feeling about his diagnosis to. There are many free counselors that he could see that could help him deal with his feelings better than Dr. L could.
It is not unreasonable for Dr. L to ask Brian to call ahead and make appointments in the future. He does, however, have the continued responsibility to see Brian, since he is the physician that is in charge of Brian's care, and knows Brian's health history the best. As long as Dr. L still feels that he is qualified to treat Brian, he should continue to do so. It might not be unreasonable though for Dr. L to set time limits on Brian's appointments when he senses that Brian is just there to chat. If Brian is presenting actual signs of distress or changed symptoms, then obviously this should be ignored, but it would not be unreasonable for Dr. L to say after 15 minutes that due to staff cuts he has been asked to limit appointments to 15 minutes if at all possible in order to be able to see as many patients as possible. This way, Dr. L can continue to see Brian and make sure that Brian is doing as well as he can with emphysema.
It is also unreasonable for Dr. L to be upset with Brian. Brian is a grown man who will make his own decisions, and as a doctor Dr. L should not let his feelings or prejudices get in the way of giving treatment to patients who need it.
I only partly agree with the people above me, because I don’t think that Brian is fully responsible for his case of emphysema. Even though the doctors can warn the patients about their medical conditions, certain factors can influence a person’s habits. The case study stated that Brian went to the doctor to just talk on occasion. This to me brings up the fact that this man might not have social support, and the way he copes with his loneliness is smoking. So, I agree that he was mostly responsible for his emphysema, but I think that his smoking could be brought on by some related factor. I think that Dr. L has an obligation to treat medical conditions that the patient will be going through, not just to have social interactions. With the budget cut, Dr. L will have many more patients that will need treatment before Brian does, especially if Brian is only there to talk. I agree with Christy when saying that Dr. L is not Brian’s friend. Brian obviously wants someone to talk to in which the doctor can refer him to the appropriate resources. I believe that virtue requires that the doctor to be there for the patient. But I also believe that, because of virtue, that the doctor needs to be there for the other patients to. If that’s all that Brian wants to do is talk, then the doctor needs to show Brian to a nurse or someone that can listen to what he wants to talk about. The doctor’s goal, in my opinion, is to treat the patient’s medical issues and leave the mental/ social incapacities to someone who has more time.
I feel like Brian knew that he should try and quit smoking but probably never thought the warning signs from his doctors would become true. I feel like Brian is responsible for his actions and having emphysema. I agree with Brittany that you can’t make the patient quit smoking cold turkey, that they have to be determined themselves to quit, which Brian was not.
I wonder if the doctor had taken a different approach towards helping Brian, he may have understood how severe smoking was causing harm to his body. I don’t think that the doctor should have cut him off completely even with budget cost and him being annoyed with him not listening to him earlier. I think that if a patient is willing to come to you knowing he or she should have listened in the past, you should at least have some hope and not give up on them at all.
I have to agree with basically everyone with Brian being completely responsible for his emphysema because he just completely ignored the doctor's warnings about the effects of smoking. He brought this on himself and now has to deal with the consequences by having a severe case of emphysema. However, Scott does bring up a good point. There could be a reason on to why Brian keeps smoking. It may be his coping skill to maybe deal with the loneliness he might or there might even be something else going wrong in his life, and smoking is the only way that Brian knows how to help him cope.
I think that since Dr. L has already formed such a close relationship with Brian, he should continue to be there to help Brian. Even though there is budget cuts and Dr. L is mad at Brian for not listening to him, Dr. L can treat Brian for his medical condition. Dr. L then can recommend Brian to a conselor who can figuree out what is causing Brian's smoking (besides addiction), he can then help him start to cut back from smoking and then eventually help Brian quit all together because it is going to take some time to stop Brian's bad habit.
Because of virtue, Dr. L should be there for Brian to treat his medical symptoms, since that is what doctors do. He doesn't have to help Brian if all he wants to do is talk because there are patients that are coming in that need to seek medical attention, which is where he is needed more. However, it is Dr. L's decision on what kind of doctor what he wants to be.
I think you all are only thinking about the upfront case that Brian smokes and he doesn't want to stop. You can't assume the patient is like you and me and therefore the patient might be widowed and lost his kids in a wreck and he's trying to attach on the doctor because Brian has nothing left. Yeah, he smokes and has emphysema because of it but I think the doctor should realize that some other factors might play into this situation and Dr. L should refer the patient to the Psychiatrist.
i believe it is important to work at staying healthy as it is to follow a doctor's orders to get well after an illness or injury. This patient was warned many times about his unhealthy lifestyle. In saying this, i believe that Brian B is responsible for his severe case of emphysema due to the fact he did not listen to his doctor's warnings. He should have at least given an effort to quit or reduce his smoking. Although the patient did ignore his doctor's warnings and worsen his own medical condition, i believe that Dr. L does have an obligation to continue to be available to Brian. However, i think that Brian should call and make an appointment to see his doctor.
I think the emphysema is Brian B's fault. He understood the risk he was taking when he kept smoking after the doctor told him the risks. Brian could have quit when he learned the risks. I understand that quitting smoking isn't the easiest thing to do but is it really worth those peoples lives? I believe although Brian B did not listen to Dr. L, he still has an obligation to Brian. I agree with most when I say that Brian should make an appointment though if he wants to talk with Dr. L. Even if Dr. L does not agree with Brian's social actions, he should not let his biasises get in the way. I think the Dr should still try to help Brian, but Brian also needs to try to help out by cutting back on smoking and making appointments.
After reading this case, I believe that the patient Brian B i to blame to a greater extent for the severity of the emphysema due to his ignorance even after being told by Dr. L after several visits to the clinic to quit smoking. This patient might have been addicted to smoking but if he could have taken into consideration the Doctor's piece of advice, it would have saved him from developing severe case of emphysema at age 57. I think since it was a clinic based for the uninsured patients, Brian B never took this clinic seriously and also by considering in mind that may be there were many people like him who were uninsured and visited the same clinic.
I think by putting myself in Dr. L's shoes, he is obligated to continue providing medical care and pieces of advise to Brian B following his roles as a physician mainly "to help save lives by treating, diagnosing, providing medical care advice etc". May be some patients are so ignorant until to the point where they suffer seriously that's when they start to realize how much of problem they have caused to their lives.
Virtue does require Dr. L's continuity in seeing Brian B again despite his serious medical condition and the fact that he never took into consideration in the earlier years when was being told to curtail or quit smoking. This will only happen depending on how virtuous the Doctor is, or else it might not be the case. In my opinion, I still insist that it would be right thing to do by continuing seeing Brian B and treating him equally as the other patients no matter the cost. I surmise if he continues to see him, and based on the severity of the emphysema, and also keep advising him of the adverse and terrible side effects of smoking; then Brian B may finally cut on smoking even though it shall have caused more harm to his health than when he should have done so earlier.
As was said by Camille, Melissa, and Brittany, Brian is solely responsible for his health. He was warned what would happen if he didn't at least cut back and when he acquired emphysema symptoms, he continued smoking heavily. Dr. L does have an obligation to be available to Brian, but I do agree with everyone else, he needs to make an appointment. As a doctor, he is obligated to see all patients no matter what the circumstances.
Brian is fully responsible for his case of emphysema. Doctor L tried to warn him and tried to get him to stop, but Brian didn't stop. The doctor gae him the information that he needed, and he did not take it. I belive that Dr. L does have an obligation to continue caring for Brian. Dr. L is a doctor and shouldn't turn away a patient because they make their own decisions. Doctors can only advise and give us the information and tell us what they think is best. They cannot punish us or stop taking care of us because we did not do what the say to do. I think virtue does require his continued availability. Dr. L should still contine to explain to Brian that smoking is wrong and try and explain to Brian what he can do now to try and get better.
Brian B is fully responsible for his emphysema. He was warned several times to quit smoking and made his own descision not to. Dr. L did her part in trying to help him but she can only do so much. I think Dr. L does have an obligation to continue seeing Brian. She still is a doctor and that is her job to continue to try and help him. She shouldn't push him away because she may at some point get him to stop smoking but he should have to make appointments to see Dr. L.
I think Brian is fully responsible for his emphysema... he was warned by the doctor for years that he needs to stop smoking and he didn't listen. He could have minimized the damage if he just stopped when Dr L told him too. Now he is sick and Dr L doesn't want to waste his time on a patient that doesn't seem to care. Dr L does have an obligation to continue to treat him because he is a doctor, but I also feel that he shouldn't put Brian before his other patients who truly want to get better. Dr L shouldn't let him lay there dying on the floor but he shouldn't go out of his way to help him. Then again, he is a doctor and took an oath to save, so morals would play a big part in this case.
Brian was warned about what smoking would do to his health, so he is responsible for continuing to smoke. I don't feel that because of this the doctor should have the right to blame Brian for now becoming sick. It is frustrating that the Brian takes up time just to talk, but instead of being rude and blaming him for his illness, the doctor could help him find community resources that would be better for that. The doctor has an obligation to help Brian because it's his job as a doctor. If a patient is obese, do doctors get to decide they are not taking care of the patient because they should have lost weight when they were told that being obese would impair their health in numerous ways? Healthcare does not work like that, thank goodness, because if it did, it would fail. Patient's don't have to listen or comply, but doctors and nurses and other healthcare members are here to help each time they come back for the same problem.
Brian is entirely responsible for his severe emphysema. Dr.L warned Brian numerous times that he should stop smoking. Brian is the only person that can make himself quit. Dr.L does not really have any obligation to be available to Brian B. Even though Dr.L is frustrated with Brian, he should still attempt to see him because that is what he is there to do. Doctors tell patients all the time what to do for the good of their health but patients are not always going to listen. Dr.L should give Brian as much time as he can and help Brian with his problem.
Like many other post, Brian is responsible for what is happening to him now. Dr. L told him plenty of times that he needed to stop or limit smoking when we was first diagnoses with his problem of emphysema. I think that Dr. L should keep seeing Brian even though he does not follow through with what he/she has to say. Maybe at the next appointment he/she can provide him with more information about what could happen to him, the Dr. can not just stop seeing Brain because he is just taking up his/her time. It is the Doctors duty to see patients, but in this case the doctor could maybe limit as he did by telling Brian to call when he wanted to come in.
I believe Brian is extremely responsible for his severe case of emphysema. On top of that the doctor is spending his free time on Brian and he did not listen to what the Doctor told him to do thus leading to his problem. On the other hand the purpose of the Doctor is to assist in healing or at least provide comfort. In Brian's case the Doctor can still provide comfort. Although I see the Doctor's point of view in believing there are other patients that need him more than Brian. It is also probably frustrating to the Doctor that he keeps coming back even though Brian won't listen to the Doctor's orders In this case what the Doctor could do is treat Brian for his medical ailments that bother him and have Brian talk to a nurse when Brian comes to the clinic just to talk. This way the doctor is not ignoring Brian's situation, he still keeps virtue in treating him, Brian still can come up and talk, and it free's up time for the Doctor to attend to other patients.
Brian has himself to blame for his emphysema. Dr. L has provided him with extensive medical evidence to demonstrate the dangers of smoking and the potential consequences of continuing unchecked.
I believe that Dr. L has an obligation to continue seeing Brian, but I agree with his telling Brian that he should call ahead. Sometimes patients confuse the line between doctor and friend. It seems as though this is the case with Brian. Dr. L needs to gently remind Brian that he is his doctor, and that he can only schedule visits if it is for a medical reason. I think Dr. L could also use Brian's illness as a learning tool, and possibly encourage him to quit.
Brian B is responsible completely for his severe case of emphysema because it was his decision to smoke and ignore advice on smoking and consquences that had been offered to him repectedly. I believe Dr. L should be available to Brian but he shouldnt treat him any different from other pts that he attends to, he should get the same treatment. Virtue does require his availability because he went into the field knowing what kind of people are out in the world and he shouldnt judge them no matter how stubborn they can be.
I agree with Scott on this one. Brian lashing out at the doctor is more a sign that he needs help. These days, anyone who puts a cigarette to their lips, knows what they are getting themselves into. The MD should refer him to a psychiatrist and address his denial issues. Many times patients dont comply with the treatments the doctor orders but they still go back. Pt compliance is a huge problem in our healthcare system.. For any MD telling people to quit smoking, they need to have a plan in place for what the pt should actually do to kick this addiction. The MD needs to educate him on ways to quit and needs to talk with him about medications that can aide him in quitting.
I believe that Brian B is entirely responsible for his severe case of emphysema. First, Brian knew it was not a health habit when he began seeing Dr. L. Second, the doctor kept informing him at every visit that he needed to either quit completely or limit the amount of cigarettes he smokes daily. Even when the signs and symptoms of early emphysema began, Brian B. continued to smoke daily. The only thing that I could see the doctor doing differently would be to find a way to connect with the patient on a level that would make him understand the severe consequences. However, if the doctor had done these things you still cannot force a patient to quit smoking; they have to care enough to do it themselves.
ReplyDeleteI also believe that it was acceptable for Dr. L to ask Brian to call in his appointments ahead of schedule. Due to the short staffed situation of the clinic, it would only make sense that he does so. Also, the doctor never refused care to Brian, he just told him to call in ahead of time.
I agree with Brittany’s points. The patient knows smoking can lead to ill effects on one’s health. His doctor warned him about it and it was his personal decision to keep smoking heavily against medical advice. Therefore, Brian holds accountability for the state of his current health problems caused by that choice to keep smoking.
ReplyDeleteI feel the doctor had the right to ask Brian to call ahead and schedule appointments from now on in order to guarantee he would be able to see Dr. L in a routine type of situation. The doctor didn’t refuse to see Brian he just made it known that the clinic was short staffed and that without a scheduled appointment he couldn’t guarantee he could see him. However, appointments are a show of respect, both in the making and the keeping of them, so Dr. L might not be feeling that from Brian. From the view of virtue ethics the doctor’s continued availability would be required so long as he can be there for Brian without it conflicting with other values or principles because it’s the right thing to do.
I also agree with what Brittany and Melissa had to say. I believe that Brian is responsible for his emphysema. As mentioned, he was told what to do in order to avoid a situation like this, yet he still continued to smoke and is now upset by the fact that his health is sliding downhill. I believe that everyone has a right to complain, however, if you were told of the consequences ahead of time, then you cannot tell me that you didn't expect this. The doctor could have possibly explained to Brian what exactly is involved with the condition of emphysema, maybe shown him some pictures, directed him to some websites, supplied some medical books, etc... but in the end it was Brian's decision on whether or not he chose to hede the doctors warnings, and he, just like any of us, is responsible for the consequences resulting from his actions. As for the situation of Brian needing to make appointments, I believe that this is completely fair. I do not agree with the fact that the doctor is aggrevated with Brian, and that is the reason why he does not want to see Brian, even if a patient does not follow the orders we would like, we are not allowed to have our judgment influence our decision making concerning the patient's health. The doctor needs to state to Brian that the short staff is the reason for the appointment making, and not the fact that he is aggrevated with Brian. I believe that the doctor should still continue to see Brian as long as Brian wants/needs him. As for the virtue, the doctor should continue to be available, because that is his duty towards the patient, if the doctor does not want this duty, then he should reconsider his profession. The doctor's primary obligation is always to the patient.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all three girls above. Brian should be held responsible for his current condition. He was warned prior to reduce or quit smoking and the side effects not doing so might cause. However, in America there are many people who may be in the same situation where they were told continuing to do things would lead to certain outcomes yet did not change their lifestyle. This could be seen with a drug user who is back again and has overdosed, a teenager who insists on having an abortion yet continues to have sex, etc. It is the healthcare providers to take care of every patient. Dr L. had the right to ask him to schedule an appointment because of being shortstaffed NOT because she was irritated with him. But regardless Brian is still her patient. Helping him with his current medical condition should be just as important as the next patient because that is her duty as a doctor. Virtue of ethics does require the doctor continuing to be available for Brian, as well as the rest of his patients because that is his duty.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone that Brian is responsible for his severe case of emphysema. I know that quitting smoking is not an easy task but Brian did not even make an attempt at even cutting down. He has no excuse for continuing to smoke and cannot claim ignorance to the fact that he did not know what would happen if he continued to smoke. I, however, disagree with everyone on the second question. Dr. L does not have an obligation to continue to be available to Brian. Dr. L has done all he could to help Brian and now can do nothing more for him. Dr. L's obligations are toward everyone at the clinic who needs him. Now if Brian was paying to see Dr.L then that would be a different story. As he is not, he is taking up Dr. L's time which could be used to help other uninsured patients who have medical problems. If Brian needs someone to talk to there are many different support groups that he could be referred to by Dr. L. Dr. L is not Brian's friend. This might seem harsh, but providing health care is a business. Therapeutic relationships between patients and doctors are developed, not social ones.
ReplyDeleteIf forgot to address virtue ethics, which calls in to question "what kind of person should I be?" Dr. L should ask himself should I be the kind of person who develops this social relationship with my patient or the kind of person who provides effective and healing healthcare to those in need. What is the right action in this situation. Caring for Brian, who is past any curative medical care since he chose to keep smoking, or to provide medical care to those patients in need who may be willing to listen to their doctors advice and get better.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the girls above in that it is completely Brian's fault that he now has emphysema. He was warned by his doctor, and surely was able to see the effects of smoking on other smokers, yet he continued to smoke.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with cgreen0911 though in that Brian should definitely be referred to a support group or mental health professional of some sort so that he will have appropriate people to express his feeling about his diagnosis to. There are many free counselors that he could see that could help him deal with his feelings better than Dr. L could.
It is not unreasonable for Dr. L to ask Brian to call ahead and make appointments in the future. He does, however, have the continued responsibility to see Brian, since he is the physician that is in charge of Brian's care, and knows Brian's health history the best. As long as Dr. L still feels that he is qualified to treat Brian, he should continue to do so. It might not be unreasonable though for Dr. L to set time limits on Brian's appointments when he senses that Brian is just there to chat. If Brian is presenting actual signs of distress or changed symptoms, then obviously this should be ignored, but it would not be unreasonable for Dr. L to say after 15 minutes that due to staff cuts he has been asked to limit appointments to 15 minutes if at all possible in order to be able to see as many patients as possible. This way, Dr. L can continue to see Brian and make sure that Brian is doing as well as he can with emphysema.
It is also unreasonable for Dr. L to be upset with Brian. Brian is a grown man who will make his own decisions, and as a doctor Dr. L should not let his feelings or prejudices get in the way of giving treatment to patients who need it.
I only partly agree with the people above me, because I don’t think that Brian is fully responsible for his case of emphysema. Even though the doctors can warn the patients about their medical conditions, certain factors can influence a person’s habits. The case study stated that Brian went to the doctor to just talk on occasion. This to me brings up the fact that this man might not have social support, and the way he copes with his loneliness is smoking. So, I agree that he was mostly responsible for his emphysema, but I think that his smoking could be brought on by some related factor.
ReplyDeleteI think that Dr. L has an obligation to treat medical conditions that the patient will be going through, not just to have social interactions. With the budget cut, Dr. L will have many more patients that will need treatment before Brian does, especially if Brian is only there to talk. I agree with Christy when saying that Dr. L is not Brian’s friend. Brian obviously wants someone to talk to in which the doctor can refer him to the appropriate resources.
I believe that virtue requires that the doctor to be there for the patient. But I also believe that, because of virtue, that the doctor needs to be there for the other patients to. If that’s all that Brian wants to do is talk, then the doctor needs to show Brian to a nurse or someone that can listen to what he wants to talk about. The doctor’s goal, in my opinion, is to treat the patient’s medical issues and leave the mental/ social incapacities to someone who has more time.
I feel like Brian knew that he should try and quit smoking but probably never thought the warning signs from his doctors would become true. I feel like Brian is responsible for his actions and having emphysema. I agree with Brittany that you can’t make the patient quit smoking cold turkey, that they have to be determined themselves to quit, which Brian was not.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the doctor had taken a different approach towards helping Brian, he may have understood how severe smoking was causing harm to his body. I don’t think that the doctor should have cut him off completely even with budget cost and him being annoyed with him not listening to him earlier. I think that if a patient is willing to come to you knowing he or she should have listened in the past, you should at least have some hope and not give up on them at all.
I have to agree with basically everyone with Brian being completely responsible for his emphysema because he just completely ignored the doctor's warnings about the effects of smoking. He brought this on himself and now has to deal with the consequences by having a severe case of emphysema. However, Scott does bring up a good point. There could be a reason on to why Brian keeps smoking. It may be his coping skill to maybe deal with the loneliness he might or there might even be something else going wrong in his life, and smoking is the only way that Brian knows how to help him cope.
ReplyDeleteI think that since Dr. L has already formed such a close relationship with Brian, he should continue to be there to help Brian. Even though there is budget cuts and Dr. L is mad at Brian for not listening to him, Dr. L can treat Brian for his medical condition. Dr. L then can recommend Brian to a conselor who can figuree out what is causing Brian's smoking (besides addiction), he can then help him start to cut back from smoking and then eventually help Brian quit all together because it is going to take some time to stop Brian's bad habit.
Because of virtue, Dr. L should be there for Brian to treat his medical symptoms, since that is what doctors do. He doesn't have to help Brian if all he wants to do is talk because there are patients that are coming in that need to seek medical attention, which is where he is needed more. However, it is Dr. L's decision on what kind of doctor what he wants to be.
I think you all are only thinking about the upfront case that Brian smokes and he doesn't want to stop. You can't assume the patient is like you and me and therefore the patient might be widowed and lost his kids in a wreck and he's trying to attach on the doctor because Brian has nothing left. Yeah, he smokes and has emphysema because of it but I think the doctor should realize that some other factors might play into this situation and Dr. L should refer the patient to the Psychiatrist.
ReplyDeletei believe it is important to work at staying healthy as it is to follow a doctor's orders to get well after an illness or injury. This patient was warned many times about his unhealthy lifestyle. In saying this, i believe that Brian B is responsible for his severe case of emphysema due to the fact he did not listen to his doctor's warnings. He should have at least given an effort to quit or reduce his smoking. Although the patient did ignore his doctor's warnings and worsen his own medical condition, i believe that Dr. L does have an obligation to continue to be available to Brian. However, i think that Brian should call and make an appointment to see his doctor.
ReplyDeleteI think the emphysema is Brian B's fault. He understood the risk he was taking when he kept smoking after the doctor told him the risks. Brian could have quit when he learned the risks. I understand that quitting smoking isn't the easiest thing to do but is it really worth those peoples lives? I believe although Brian B did not listen to Dr. L, he still has an obligation to Brian. I agree with most when I say that Brian should make an appointment though if he wants to talk with Dr. L. Even if Dr. L does not agree with Brian's social actions, he should not let his biasises get in the way. I think the Dr should still try to help Brian, but Brian also needs to try to help out by cutting back on smoking and making appointments.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this case, I believe that the patient Brian B i to blame to a greater extent for the severity of the emphysema due to his ignorance even after being told by Dr. L after several visits to the clinic to quit smoking. This patient might have been addicted to smoking but if he could have taken into consideration the Doctor's piece of advice, it would have saved him from developing severe case of emphysema at age 57. I think since it was a clinic based for the uninsured patients, Brian B never took this clinic seriously and also by considering in mind that may be there were many people like him who were uninsured and visited the same clinic.
ReplyDeleteI think by putting myself in Dr. L's shoes, he is obligated to continue providing medical care and pieces of advise to Brian B following his roles as a physician mainly "to help save lives by treating, diagnosing, providing medical care advice etc". May be some patients are so ignorant until to the point where they suffer seriously that's when they start to realize how much of problem they have caused to their lives.
Virtue does require Dr. L's continuity in seeing Brian B again despite his serious medical condition and the fact that he never took into consideration in the earlier years when was being told to curtail or quit smoking. This will only happen depending on how virtuous the Doctor is, or else it might not be the case. In my opinion, I still insist that it would be right thing to do by continuing seeing Brian B and treating him equally as the other patients no matter the cost. I surmise if he continues to see him, and based on the severity of the emphysema, and also keep advising him of the adverse and terrible side effects of smoking; then Brian B may finally cut on smoking even though it shall have caused more harm to his health than when he should have done so earlier.
As was said by Camille, Melissa, and Brittany, Brian is solely responsible for his health. He was warned what would happen if he didn't at least cut back and when he acquired emphysema symptoms, he continued smoking heavily. Dr. L does have an obligation to be available to Brian, but I do agree with everyone else, he needs to make an appointment. As a doctor, he is obligated to see all patients no matter what the circumstances.
ReplyDeleteBrian is fully responsible for his case of emphysema. Doctor L tried to warn him and tried to get him to stop, but Brian didn't stop. The doctor gae him the information that he needed, and he did not take it. I belive that Dr. L does have an obligation to continue caring for Brian. Dr. L is a doctor and shouldn't turn away a patient because they make their own decisions. Doctors can only advise and give us the information and tell us what they think is best. They cannot punish us or stop taking care of us because we did not do what the say to do. I think virtue does require his continued availability. Dr. L should still contine to explain to Brian that smoking is wrong and try and explain to Brian what he can do now to try and get better.
ReplyDeleteBrian B is fully responsible for his emphysema. He was warned several times to quit smoking and made his own descision not to. Dr. L did her part in trying to help him but she can only do so much. I think Dr. L does have an obligation to continue seeing Brian. She still is a doctor and that is her job to continue to try and help him. She shouldn't push him away because she may at some point get him to stop smoking but he should have to make appointments to see Dr. L.
ReplyDeleteI think Brian is fully responsible for his emphysema... he was warned by the doctor for years that he needs to stop smoking and he didn't listen. He could have minimized the damage if he just stopped when Dr L told him too. Now he is sick and Dr L doesn't want to waste his time on a patient that doesn't seem to care. Dr L does have an obligation to continue to treat him because he is a doctor, but I also feel that he shouldn't put Brian before his other patients who truly want to get better. Dr L shouldn't let him lay there dying on the floor but he shouldn't go out of his way to help him. Then again, he is a doctor and took an oath to save, so morals would play a big part in this case.
ReplyDeleteBrian was warned about what smoking would do to his health, so he is responsible for continuing to smoke. I don't feel that because of this the doctor should have the right to blame Brian for now becoming sick. It is frustrating that the Brian takes up time just to talk, but instead of being rude and blaming him for his illness, the doctor could help him find community resources that would be better for that. The doctor has an obligation to help Brian because it's his job as a doctor. If a patient is obese, do doctors get to decide they are not taking care of the patient because they should have lost weight when they were told that being obese would impair their health in numerous ways? Healthcare does not work like that, thank goodness, because if it did, it would fail. Patient's don't have to listen or comply, but doctors and nurses and other healthcare members are here to help each time they come back for the same problem.
ReplyDeleteBrian is entirely responsible for his severe emphysema. Dr.L warned Brian numerous times that he should stop smoking. Brian is the only person that can make himself quit. Dr.L does not really have any obligation to be available to Brian B. Even though Dr.L is frustrated with Brian, he should still attempt to see him because that is what he is there to do. Doctors tell patients all the time what to do for the good of their health but patients are not always going to listen. Dr.L should give Brian as much time as he can and help Brian with his problem.
ReplyDeleteLike many other post, Brian is responsible for what is happening to him now. Dr. L told him plenty of times that he needed to stop or limit smoking when we was first diagnoses with his problem of emphysema. I think that Dr. L should keep seeing Brian even though he does not follow through with what he/she has to say. Maybe at the next appointment he/she can provide him with more information about what could happen to him, the Dr. can not just stop seeing Brain because he is just taking up his/her time. It is the Doctors duty to see patients, but in this case the doctor could maybe limit as he did by telling Brian to call when he wanted to come in.
ReplyDeleteI believe Brian is extremely responsible for his severe case of emphysema. On top of that the doctor is spending his free time on Brian and he did not listen to what the Doctor told him to do thus leading to his problem. On the other hand the purpose of the Doctor is to assist in healing or at least provide comfort. In Brian's case the Doctor can still provide comfort. Although I see the Doctor's point of view in believing there are other patients that need him more than Brian. It is also probably frustrating to the Doctor that he keeps coming back even though Brian won't listen to the Doctor's orders In this case what the Doctor could do is treat Brian for his medical ailments that bother him and have Brian talk to a nurse when Brian comes to the clinic just to talk. This way the doctor is not ignoring Brian's situation, he still keeps virtue in treating him, Brian still can come up and talk, and it free's up time for the Doctor to attend to other patients.
ReplyDeleteBrian has himself to blame for his emphysema. Dr. L has provided him with extensive medical evidence to demonstrate the dangers of smoking and the potential consequences of continuing unchecked.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Dr. L has an obligation to continue seeing Brian, but I agree with his telling Brian that he should call ahead. Sometimes patients confuse the line between doctor and friend. It seems as though this is the case with Brian. Dr. L needs to gently remind Brian that he is his doctor, and that he can only schedule visits if it is for a medical reason. I think Dr. L could also use Brian's illness as a learning tool, and possibly encourage him to quit.
Brian B is responsible completely for his severe case of emphysema because it was his decision to smoke and ignore advice on smoking and consquences that had been offered to him repectedly. I believe Dr. L should be available to Brian but he shouldnt treat him any different from other pts that he attends to, he should get the same treatment. Virtue does require his availability because he went into the field knowing what kind of people are out in the world and he shouldnt judge them no matter how stubborn they can be.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Scott on this one. Brian lashing out at the doctor is more a sign that he needs help. These days, anyone who puts a cigarette to their lips, knows what they are getting themselves into. The MD should refer him to a psychiatrist and address his denial issues. Many times patients dont comply with the treatments the doctor orders but they still go back. Pt compliance is a huge problem in our healthcare system.. For any MD telling people to quit smoking, they need to have a plan in place for what the pt should actually do to kick this addiction. The MD needs to educate him on ways to quit and needs to talk with him about medications that can aide him in quitting.
ReplyDelete