Doctor Experience

couple · 06-19-2011, 06:51 AM

Older male doctor, younger attractive female patient. Nobody else present during exam. Told to strip fully including taking bra and panties off to wait naked for the doctor to return to the room. No hospital gown or anything else provided for cover and she was required to stay totally naked for the duration of the exam. Nature of exam requires a whole body scan but since most of the body is not "private" it seems odd that no covering was provided for the private areas while other areas were being inspected. Or just being asked to remove bra and panties while those areas were being examined might be expected. Besides this questionable way of dealing with nudity, nothing unprofessional was done.

Wife is confused as to how she should feel about this-whether the doctor took advantage of the situation or whether he is just lacking in empathy and a good bedside manner. The experience made her feel very uncomfortable but these things are never easy so the comfort factor is not necessarily a good gauge.

I'm trying to be supportive with my wife but I don't really know if this is normal or not. She's the one that raised the concern, not me. If she's concerned, then I'm concerned. Clearly this is not the ideal way for a patient to be treated but did he cross the line? What do you think?

Runs like Dog · 06-19-2011, 07:07 AM

If you FEEL it's inappropriate, it IS inappropriate.

discouraged1 · 06-19-2011, 07:41 AM

Sounds strange..... never had a doctor act like that with me or anyone else I have heard of. Why don't you call up there an ask their protocol for handling patients in exam rooms? I am sure they would give you standard procedure...... unless this was an abnormal situation.
I have seldom had a doctor go head to toe on me.. was this a routine checkup?
I agree with Runs..... if you felt it was wrong it was.

JustJane · 06-19-2011, 07:54 AM

WHAT??!!?? Did this clinic not pay their laundry bill??? Find a different doctor! I can't fathom any check-up where they wouldn't offer a gown. I consider it their job to make the patient as comfortable as possible!

Mammogram contains wearing a cape with a front opening, thereby taking out each breast as it needs to be scanned. Pap smear has a gown, which I choose to tie in front as the doctor needs access to check the breast area. A male or female physician would make no difference to me. Those offices are cold and I want a gown!!!

magnoliagal · 06-19-2011, 09:24 AM

I'm 45 and have never been naked in a room with a doctor without a gown and without a female assistant. Even the mammogram I got a gown. Had 3 babies got a gown and covering with each one of those too. Heck my kids get gowns too when they've needed medical attention that required them to remove their clothes.

I think it was inappropriate.

Enchantment · 06-19-2011, 10:15 AM

I've never had this happen to me. If I was in this kind of situation, I would not have kept silent and would have demanded a gown (it's not exactly warm sitting around even in a gown waiting for an exam) and would have asked for an assistant present. Even my female ob/gyn that I have gone to for over 20 years still asks if I want the female nurse present when I have any kind of exam that requires me to disrobe. I would have complained to the doctor for sure, and I would be finding a new doctor too after being treated the way your wife was.

couple · 06-19-2011, 11:14 AM

It might be helpful to add that this was a melanoma exam, hence the need for a full body inspection. However, as stated, while the whole body needs to be inspected, it could have been done in sections with the "privates" obscured until needed. Since the private areas were only a small part of the exam, it would make sense that they are only exposed as required. Anyway, neither she nor I are obsessed with this. It just didn't seem right.

@whiterabbit - thank you for your insight both as a patient and with your medical perspective. In your first post though, I thought you were misreading the situation. She's not "on high alert with men" and she's had several OB/GYN and breast exams by male doctors. in those past exams, she was exposed as needed based on the type of exam. Nobody likes these exams but it never really bothered her as everything made sense and was aligned to the type of exam.

In this case he either has a lack of empathy for the patient OR he enjoys the situation (e.g. for power, humiliation or the nudity itself). We'll probably never know but understanding other people's experience and general thoughts on this does help think it through.

Therealbrighteyes · 06-19-2011, 12:30 PM

I agree with White Rabbit. Here in Texas, a male doctor cannot examine a female patient without a female nurse/assistant present. Violates a hole host of laws and it also protects the doctor from lawsuits. Some dentists are even doing this now. I am not sure about the laws in other states but it would seem to be common sense to have another woman present, especially in the case of a full body exam.
She should find another doctor and it would be appropriate for her to write a letter to his practice letting him know that she felt violated. If this really bothers her, she should write a letter to whatever hospital he has priviledges with and perhaps the state licensing board.

Runs like Dog · 06-19-2011, 01:19 PM

Full stop. Doctors work for YOU. If you are unhappy with the service make them change or stop and find someone else.
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Cara · 06-19-2011, 02:03 PM

I have never heard of not being given a gown if told to undress completely. Even if I only need my top off with my bra still on I still get a gown. These seems awfly shady.

If your wife feels uncomfortable dump this doc & find a better one. Women have really good instincts, as I'm sure you know, so go with whatever her gut tell her.

BigToe · 06-19-2011, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Runs like Dog

Full stop. Doctors work for YOU. If you are unhappy with the service make them change or stop and find someone else.

Ditto!