On average, I’d say my clinic patients spend at least 3 hours in total at every appointment. Sometimes they are here even longer, if I send them for imaging. Most of the time in the clinic is spent waiting. Additional, many patients arrive at least an hour before their scheduled appointment, adding to the wait.

I try to explain to them that there is no need to arrive so early, especially if the normal wait is already painfully long. Apparently there is a loss of communication. I suspect that there is a rumor among the patients that arriving early at an appointment translates to leaving early. This is as likely to happen as winning at Pai Gao Poker.

I once had a patient who I needed to follow daily for a herpetic corneal ulcer. After four days, he simply stopped showing up. Later, he told me that it was impossible for him to work if he spent hours at the eye clinic daily. Other patients of mine come to clinic ad lib, for prescription refills only. Then there’s the majority of them who sit patiently for 3 hours in the waiting room to be sent to fluorescein angiography for 2 more hours for a proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) workup.

Indeed, to be a clinic patient is to be a special patient.

medicine medicine

Several months ago, I signed up for TruthOnCall, a new VC company designed to survey physicians on commonly asked questions. As a physician, you can offer to complete surveys via SMS for reimbursement $10 apiece.  From a financial standpoint, the deal sounded potentially lucrative, depending on the number of surveys you complete.

Unfortunately, I have yet to receive any surveys in the months that I’ve enrolled. Perhaps they are a front to harvest physician data? Or have they run their fund dry?

In actuality, I think that there is a limited market for ophthalmology-based medical opinions. The service appears to mediate data harvesting. In order for the physician to receive a survey, there much be a client investor on the other end to field medical questions. No funding, no money. Simple as that.

Are there any other physicians out there who have actually received surveys or been paid by TruthOnCall? Let me know!

medicine medicine

I saw a guy in the clinic several weeks ago who sprayed Hongo Killer in his eye. He had a 100% epithelial defect with descemet’s folds. The cornea was pretty much in endothelial shock, although he was not hypotonous.

I chuckled when he showed me the bottle. I suppose that it was entertaining only because of my limited Spanish knowledge and I had been basking in our underground clinic’s flickering fluorescent lights the entire day.

medicine medicine, ophthalmology

I know little about non-western medicine (ie acupuncture, herbal medicine), but the moment I saw this jar of powder in a local store, I knew I needed a photo of it. Unfortunately, the photo came out fuzzy as the pharmacist shooed me away from the aisle. The jar reads:

“Stomachin: Chang Kuo Chou Strong Stomachic Powder”

I found an online store that sold an equivalent concoction of health. It appears that this medicine is intended to remedy gastritis, given that licorice and sodium bicarbonate account for the bulk of the powder. I assume that this medicine may actually be effective, given that almost a billion people have probably taken it at one point in their lives (This is a Chinese medicine).

*Note: I am not affiliated with this product. I do not endorse the use of this product either. I have neither prescribed this product nor used it myself. *

medicine humor, medicine

Interesting logo on our box of pig eyes for practicing sutures…

medicine medicine