Red Mosquito

Various developments with my health since the start of December have sent my imagination into overdrive. It's got me thinking about when doctors (usually from hospitals) ring a patient up to tell them they're dying. The thing I'm wondering is this:

When do they decide to ask them to come in, and when do they decide to tell them over the phone?

The ones I can remember are: Dr Kate Granger, who was told on the phone when she was at a BBQ in California. This may have been a call from the UK, obviously she can't just pop in in the next half hour plus she's a doctor so will understand it more.

Rachel Bland (presenter): via a phone call during a meal out.

Emma Louise Page (blogger): in person.

In fiction it usually tends to be in person (Afterlife (Andrew Lincoln not Ricky Gervais programme of the same name)) and Silent Witness (Clare in Homecoming).

One last thing. As much as it's easy for your mind to go into overdrive about what might happen to you, and as matter of fact as things may seem when you're trying to second guess how your own life could go, these cases and all others are completely heartbreaking. I certainly wouldn't want any innocent person to die just so I could live (I shalt not kill).

Lastly to the mods very sorry I couldn't think of a more specific thread title, feel free to edit.

I'm thinking this comes up gradual or at first diagnosis or after some sort of testing when results are received.

I suspect there is a lot variability in how these play out but also you would think it would be ethically responsible to tell the person as soon as possible. They are probably mandated to do so in general.

What does google say?

Hope ur all good, buddy.

I would think a phone call would come after various visits and tests have been done. The patient would already know what the outcomes of the testing/procedures would be and is basically just waiting for results at that point.

A visit would come if the patient went in and in a somewhat unexpected turn of events, the worst has been discovered. Not restricted to this type of outcome, but just in general.

Thanks for replies, I can never get the whole subscription thing right on this forum. Yeah looks ok, had a 3 month long cough that caused cracked rib/s, and lung and stomach pain. Finally rang the doctors up when employers employer started calling loads of over time and Saturdays (basically wanted to know if I already had all the wages I needed to last me). Yeah, I'm guessing they would call you in to tell you what it is, then maybe ring you up if the prognosis changes after that, rather than before or during.

When I worked in telemedicine, I would sometimes have to edit reports where doctors had to tell patients in writing. Surely, like 99.99% of the time, this wasn’t the first time the patient had heard it, and our doctors were just telling them what their treating physicians had already told them. Usually it was just matter of fact: “Your cancer has a mean survival rate of 15 months. Consider end-of-life care, as it actually has been shown to extend survival rates.” Then I’d send it over.