Last week, my son had to see a dermatologist for some red stretch marks developed around and under his arms. I didn't go with him as I was at work. Later I asked my son how was the doctor's visit and what the doctor said. I really expected the doctor would say something that a teenage would take as professional advice or opinion. My son handed over me two pages of information with doctor's two check marks under Striae Distensae. My son told me the doctor was going to give him some cream for those marks. From a medical librarian's eye, it looked like the two pages were photocopied from a book chapter called "Abnormalities of Dermal Fibrous and Elastic tissue." The information obviously was written for health care professionals not for patients. I asked my son whether he read the information. He said nope. I asked again whether the doctor told him why he developed those marks. He answered nope. The only word from the doctor as he could remember was he would have some cream for the marks.
Ok. As a teenager, my son might have memory problem. However, what concerns me is the information the doctor distributed to the patient. Hi! doctors, if you really care, customize the information for your patient. If you really care, use patient pamphlets not photocopy the medical book pages. If you really care, take some time and look through these trusted health information recommended by the Medical Library Association. Your patients would really appreciated your care.
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