Daryl Potyk, a physician in the state of Washington, shares a cautinary tale with us. His essay, "In Search of the Story," is important for patients and care-givers alike. As physicians get busier, as care gets more fragmented between primary care doctors, PAs, NPs, hospitalists, ER docs, specialists and sub-specialists, the person as patient often becomes an invisable man. Dr. Potyk's insight is essential.
"How could we have been taking care of Mr. Jones for as long as we had without knowing him? We knew his blood counts, we knew about his kidneys and his liver, we had stuck needles into his abdomen to obtain fluid samples; we knew a lot about him. We focused on his medical problems, treated him, took care of him, all without ever knowing him." Download Potyk In Search of the Story
Author Bio: Daryl Potyk, a board certified in Iinternist and geriatrician, has been teaching at the Internal Medicine Residency in Spokane, WA since 1994. He lives in Spokane, WA with his wife and three children. Email: DKP.
(Photo: Homeless Man, Bowery, Manhattan from Michael Fairchild Photography: World Faces.)
