I Don't Want to be a Case Study

I had a patient tell me that last week and at first, I thought he was joking. Then I thought about how many people in his position probably feel the same way and I realized it wasn't a joke at all.

The patient is what we call "Priority" here at my clinic, which means that he is HIV positive.  He moved back here from Chicago, came to my clinic to have a form filled out and casually mentioned that he has been positive since 2011.

That's where I come in.

As soon as I sat down with him, he hung his head low, taking long deep breaths, readying himself for what he thought was to come.  The first thing he said was:

"I'll come in for care, I just don't want to be a case study, you know?  

That's why I stopped going to the doctor in the first place.

They do that...study people.  Measuring the incidence of this and the occurrence of that.  

Every time I went to an appointment, there was a new person asking me questions.  

People that I never met before.  I hate feeling like I'm being studied. I'll stay home before I feel like that again."  

As he explained, I thought about it and the truth is he's kinda right.  When patients come in for appointments, they don't just see the doctor, there are at least 5 other people waiting to see them each and every time; each new person asking the same basic questions, checking the answers off on forms, paying them to take surveys and give up personal information.  I can totally see how he feels.

Most patients are thrilled to answer questions and a $50 gift card definitely sweetens the deal.  And then there are others, who couldn't care less about a gift card to Target and resent our intrusions into their personal lives.

So, to us, the surveys and questions make sense - we need the information.  We do need to know the incidence and occurrence of things because its our job to have that information and it helps us help our patients.  But, there has to be a way to make people feel better about things. I'd rather patients get and stay healthy than refuse to come in simply because of the questions on a form.  They are much more than that.