Friday, February 27, 2009   Found out today that I'd pissed off
a patient and he managed to complain to my boss. Was yet another
chronic, obese, bastard who didn't feel like going to his
dialysis appointment one day. So a day later, c.o.b. goes into
the ER of Suburban Luxury Resort That Has A Starbucks But No
Water Hookups And Bills Medicare with chest pain.  I actually do
understand that a life shackled to a dialysis clinic is a hard
life. But the choice is to go or land in the hospital. I don't
doubt that this is a painful thing. You will not garner sympathy
by acting surprised at this turn of events, however.  I asked
him, "Why didn't you go to dialysis on Wednesday?" He sniffs, "I
wasn't feeling well." "Well, um, you're in the hospital now, how
do you feel?" "Lousy." "I'm sorry you feel lousy. Why didn't you
go to the ER yesterday?" "BECAUSE. I. WENT. TODAY."  Big fat
duh. He's one of our frequent-flyers. He knows damn well how to
work the system. He lives closer to one of the less luxurious
hospitals, bu