by HelpMeBeFree

Created on: May 19, 2008

Dr. House is an ornery jerk of a doctor. He's smart and reminds everyone of it constantly. He belittles his co-workers and superiors. He ignores protocols and regulations meant to keep patients safe. And by doing so he saves lives that otherwise would be lost. (My question is why does House's city have so many rare diseases and cases? I wouldn't want to live therethere must be something in the water.)

He's fiction. I know this. But there have been times that I wish I could call him up and make an appointment. To have his expert eye confirm that I am okay and am not about to suffer a massive stroke that only he can detect. I've watched House, M.D. since the very first episode. As each season passes, I find myself questioning the tactics and decisions of the nice polite doctors in the real world. They are courteous and show empathy. They have helped me. But what if they are wrong? What if they are lackadaisical and their lack of overt aggression costs a life?

The time spent with any doctor is minuscule. During an average office visit or hospital stay, a patient is lucky to see any doctor for more than a few minutes. There must be doctors out there that have the same passion and determination as Dr. House. We don't know how doctors really act when there isn't a patient in the room. Perhaps there are some who are driven mad trying to solve a case or who put everything else in their life last in order to save lives.

For me, it's the support teams' attitudes and personalities that are most important. I want the person who draws my blood to be courteous and gentle. I want the transport person to be concerned about my comfort as I'm wheeled down hallways full of equipment and people and dangerous, sharp corners. I want the person who delivers my meals to say a quick hi when they enter the room. And I want the nurses, who do most of the patient caretaking, to be personable and honestly interested in my recovery. During a hospital stay a patient is surrounded by a dozen people and other patients at all times and the stay is made tolerable by having great people around.

If a doctor is a jerk, but has the sharpest mind in the medical community, then you bet I want him as my doctor. I can handle his sarcasm and bluntness. I don't want to have to handle a misdiagnosis for the sake of my doctor asking me if I am having a nice day.

Learn more about this author, HelpMeBeFree.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.