A special kind of doctor

I was in a meeting with officials from the Michigan Department of Corrections, Hospice of Michigan, and Corizon...the health care provider for Michigan prisons. A hospice official asked Mason Gill, VP of Michigan operations for Corizon, about prison doctors. Gill responded that it takes a very special kind of doctor to serve in the prisons.

I'll second that motion.

Let me tell you about a special kind of doctor.

Mr. D. had been complaining about severe pain from a hernia for weeks. Finally, the large lump in his abdomen started turning color and the pain became unbearable. Mr. D. doubled over in pain and started vomiting. He was rushed by ambulance to a local hospital, and then transferred to one of the major hospitals in Lansing. There a surgeon discovered there was not only one, but two hernias...and that the major hernia was causing problems with the colon. He was very upset with the prison healthcare people for letting the situation get to this stage. The surgeon corrected the hernia situation, and then performed a colonoscopy to make sure everything was OK.

Mr. D. was released from the hospital with two provisions. He was given a prescription for pain medication to take him through the post-surgery days. And, he was instructed to come back in two weeks for a post-surgery exam.

Well, let me tell you how that special doctor at the prison reacted.

He was upset that Mr. D. had been sent to the hospital, and said if the decision had been up to him, Mr. D. would have remained in prison.

He refused to fill the prescription for pain meds. Mr. D. would just have to tough it out. After all, he's just a prisoner.

And, he refused to let Mr. D. go back to the surgeon for a post-op exam.

Now that's some special kind of doctor.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Ah yes. We're enduring the questionable ministrations of the same bunch here in Florida now, thanks to our governor Rick Scott (who professes to be a Christian).

They've been here 3 months and the stories like this one are already piling up.
October 16, 2013 at 11:53 AM
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