Author Archives: Dr Hoffman
Laughter… the best… tool … :-)
In recent decades, as insurers have taken over the delivery of medicine, we doctors are trained to be ever quick and to the point during the brief interaction we have with our patients. Our time is short, our patients’ needs long and finding the middle ground takes skill and practice. One common experience, even ritual […]
Unreal Pain
As a primary care physician I’m in the helping profession: I spend my days helping solve people’s problems, both physical and mental. I love what I do and always take my patients’ complaints seriously. What may seem minor may be the tip-off to something major. No complaint is left unheard. Much depends on the therapeutic […]
Just a Form Away…
The form sat on my desk all morning. I glanced at it now and then, sighing slightly each time. Then about 3 in the afternoon I had a window of time. I sign death certificates about half a dozen times a year. Sometimes whole seasons will go by without any, and then 3 or 4 […]
Not Just A Cold…
I look at my schedule every morning with my assistant. We troubleshoot things—who needs a lab test or an Xray before being seen, or an ECG or a wheelchair; would a patient’s needs be better met at an Emergency Room rather than our primary care office. One day on reviewing the list, we found a […]
One Day at a Time
Health Notes -One Day at a Time “I think it’s just a virus, a stomach virus, Really. My wife had the same thing.” The wizened man looked at me, just above my eyes. “I’ve been married 67 years.” The 87 year old man smile slightly. He was actually frightened, but could not say […]