Compare: gaps in knowledge versus misconceptions for a general practitioner medical doctor

[Boojatta]

Poll question: Compare: gaps in knowledge versus misconceptions for a general practitioner medical doctor

Please note that the space available for the title question of this thread was limited. Here is a fuller version:

If you were a friend or relative of a patient of a general practitioner medical doctor, or yourself a patient, which would tend to be a greater concern to you: gaps in the doctor's medical knowledge or misconceptions that the doctor has in the realm of medical knowledge?

[Duer 157099]

1. I vote misconception

A gap can be filled. A misconception is usually held onto tightly.

[Motown_Johnny]

2. Misconception., if the Dr.. knows he/she doesn't know something then he/she will

research the answer.

If the Dr. thinks he/she knows the answer but is operating under a misconception then no research will be done.

[SharonAnn]

3. My husband died 8 days ago because of a G.P.´s "misconception"

He treated him for 6 months for "anxiety". My husband was NEVER anxious or nervous.

Turned out the bowel problems were colon cancer. It cost Medicare well over $100,000 (probably closer to $200,000) to treat him and he died anyway.

The cancer was curable if caught when he first went to the doctor.

And, the doctor had the colonoscopy report from 2 1/2 years before telling him that 4 polyps were removed, though they all were benign, and that the patient should be checked annually using hemocult(sp) testing. The doctor didn´t do that testing, not even when my husband went in for symptoms.

But the G.P. thought he could do an adequate sigmoidoscopy (not the standard of care) in his office. And he totally missed a tumor that was already big enough that it was causing symptoms. So he decided it must be anxiety and treated him for that.

Not until I got involved after 6 months and demanded a referral for a colonoscopy did he begin to get proper treatment.

And when I next talked to the G.P., he said "They didn´t find anything, did they?" I was flabbergasted. He hadn´t even read the report. I told him that, on the contrary, they had found an enormous tumor in the sigmoid area of the colon.

We buried my husband this week because of a doctor´s "misconception".