1. R.oB. wrote:

You are stressed out, kid! I had the exact same symptoms. The dizziness and nausea are a result of the extreme pain “in the neck,” from what my doctor told me. He prescribed muscle relaxants and Percocet. One this is for sure: Dr. House is only amusing on TV.

2. Ann wrote:

WOW….I would file a complaint..or better yet write the doctor himself a letter….and I try to avoid ER’s as much as possible. I would go to a medcare center. You don’t stay long and they are much more attentive.

I hope you are feeling better today…

~Ann~

3. ChgoSista wrote:

Dr. Marc, please send a letter about your incident to the Pennsylvania Medical Society. PLEASE. I worked for the IL State Med Soc for almost 4 years, and I’ve seen the power of the pen regarding doctors like the one you encountered.

Yes, this is a sickening reality; I’ve also been on the receiving end (twice) of doctors who lack bedside manner. One time was when I was insured (but was only 19 years old) and another time when I wasn’t insured. When I was 19, I didn’t really know how to defend myself or what I could do, but the second time it happened, I pitched a bitch and eventually got a b.s. letter from some administrator or another…

4. Blaxx wrote:

I can’t comment about health care in the US because I’ve never been into a doctor’s office there. I can barely comment on the health care in Canada because I never go to the doctor. I just hope that you’re feeling better today. Maybe he treated you poorly because he seen you on TV and caught a problem with something you said…Bobby, you’re not a doctor are you?

5. Derwin wrote:

Doc, I feel your pain man. So sorry to hear that. I hope you’re all better now – no thanks to the medical doc. You should definatley take some action. No one deserves to be treated like that. As the man says on Badu’s song “Twinkle”: “You’ve got to get mad. You have to say I’m a human being damn it! My Life has value!”

6. Ann wrote:

Let me go further and say that what disturbs me is the nurse’s sort of patting you on the back and saying hey you aint the only one shake it off….you know.. for that reason alone you should write a letter…and send it to that hospital CEO, the medical board, the doctor himself and anybody else you deem necessary…

7. wouldn't you love to know? wrote:

i say, blow the bitch up, and turn it into a “parking lot”…

***kicking gasoline tin under desk***

8. Ice wrote:

I’ve been there, Marc. I had to go to the ER for an issue and I HATED the service I received. They basically took all day to do nothing, they were rude, I didn’t really ever see a MD – I think I saw a PA, which would have been fine except that this particular PA didn’t know anything about the issue I was dealing with, and I was ultimately referred to a “specialist” because the ER staff couldn’t provide me with an useful information (and to be clear – I didn’t have a special issue at all). It really made me sad for the people who can’t “afford” better health care and have to deal with this disrespect and sub-par care on a regular basis. Of course, I’m sure the staff is overwhelmed, etc, etc…but that certainly isn’t the patient’s fault and people deserve quality care!

9. www.rayandsamara.com wrote:

WYLTK is off the chain as usual! lol

Seriously Marc, I hope you wrote down the doc and the nurses name so you can write a strong letter to the hospital administrator. You should also get a second opinion just incase there are some deeper issues that the doc missed. If he missed something major (which I hope he didnt); you have a lawsuit in the making.

Before you take the meds he prescribed, make sure you check the prescribing information and the side effects. You dont need to take anything that isnt directly related to your symptoms. I once had a doctor prescribe me Zoloft and Paxil for Ice Pick Headaches. I told her I was not depressed or didnt have anxiety but she insisted that I take them anyways to ‘clear my head up’. I got a second opinion and found out my headaches were caused by sinuses and all i needed was some sudafed to make them go away!

10. John wrote:

Earlier in my career, I worked at two major teaching hospitals and I saw first-hand the arrogance that some physicians display toward patients and others.

This lack of “bedside manners” is often compounded in the ER by long hours and overwhelming numbers of patients.

However …

There is no excuse for being treated improperly by a doctor. I would immediately contact the head of Patient Relations and lodge a formal complaint.

If that doesn’t work, the Chestnut Hill website even tells you how to go further:

You have the right to express your concerns about patient care safety to hospital personnel and/or management. If your concerns and questions can not be resolved at this level, contact The Joint Commission at 1 (800) 994-6610, by Fax at (630) 792-5636, by e-mail at complaint@jointcommision.org, or by mail at:

Office of Quality Monitoring
The Joint Commission
One Renaissance Boulevard
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181

11. John wrote:

Testing …

12. John wrote:

Marc, I would immediately contact the hospital’s Patient Relations department and lodge a formal complaint.

If that doesn’t get you anywhere, Chestnut Hill’s own website tells you how to take it further:

You have the right to express your concerns about patient care safety to hospital personnel and/or management. If your concerns and questions can not be resolved at this level, contact The Joint Commission at 1 (800) 994-6610, by Fax at (630) 792-5636, by e-mail at complaint@jointcommision.org, or by mail at:

Office of Quality Monitoring
The Joint Commission
One Renaissance Boulevard
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181

13. timaree wrote:

marc- i’m so sorry you had to go through that. it sounds awful. i hope you’ve since sought help from another medical facility- does temple have a student health services you can visit during the day, perhaps?

take it easy, feel better and definitely lodge a complaint. sending you rays of healing power telepathically!

14. Blaxx wrote:

sending you rays of healing power telepathically!

Comment by timaree — March 31, 2008 @ 11:52 am

What else can you send telepathically timaree?

15. timaree wrote:

girl scout cookies. but only thin mints. i keep the caramel delites for myself.

16. DCI74 wrote:

Cosign #9 John. Hey Doc this really sucks, handle your business bruh!

17. marvy wrote:

That’s crazy. I realize that the ER is a high pressure environment, but that’s no reason to abuse sick folks. Unless you are bleeding or otherwise visibly injured, some of those doctors act like you’re wasting their time- like anyone wants to be sitting up in that cesspool just to pass time. Also, The few times that I’ve been to the ER it seems like they hand out drugs too easily.

I would have taken down Dr. Jackazz’ information and started writing complaints to the hospital, and the state licensing board and the AMA board.

18. Gaines wrote:

Time to report his abusive, unprofessional a**…

Hope you’re feeling better, Doc!

19. Terrence wrote:

Seriously, I hope you plan to take further action…whatever happened to being professional and leaving your problems at home?

20. bobby wrote:

#4 Blaxx, no I’m not a doctor, and I don’t play one on TV. But maybe the doctor diagnosed Marc as “both confrontational and condescending” as well. There’s two sides to every story.

But I do hope you’re feeling better Marc. Did you at least get a lollipop?

21. Marc Lamont Hill wrote:

Actually, Bobby, he didn’t think that at all. Neither did the two witnesses who reported the same story.

22. Miss Dimples wrote:

In any case of injustice, I champion my BFF, Aseelah, and say “Write your Congressperson!”

Seriously, I hope you take time to document your experience and submit it through the proper channels. Feel better and get some **much needed** rest.

23. Ced wrote:

Really?… Dr. House? Next he’s gonna think hip-hop portrays real life…

24. R.J. Snyder wrote:

Marc, shame on you for mentioning a possible racist issue regarding your visit to the ER. The comment about the Dr. not even being white speaks volumns to me. How about just sharing the experience that we could all relate to and not look to introduce race into the situation? Take your heart off your sleeve and the chip off your shoulder and you should feel better in the morning.

25. Marc Lamont Hill wrote:

Actually, RJ, I was attempting to destroy the idea that I was treated in racist fashion by a white doctor. I was pointing out that racism COULD have been a factor, but had nothing to do with white people.

26. D. White wrote:

I have been an MD for over 20 years. Black patients are routinely dismissed, abused and assumed to be drug seekers yet the sad truth is that most drug seekers are not blacks. White patients are abused too but it’s based on class, for the most part. I am black and get treated the same way. I detest patients, black, white or indifferent, that don’t complain. I know the system better than I know myself, have traveled to work for most of my career in several states and think most doctors, especially nowadays, couldn’t care less about taking a good history or treating patients with thoughtfulness and respect. Neck pain, nausea and dizziness in a young man could represent a sub-arachnoid bleed, which is a medical emergency. This is a growing problem as the vested interest has shifted from MDs to corporations. See the book, online, by the National Academies of Science, Unequal Treatment, for a more complete treatment of the topic. Most patients let such treatment go and ultimately a misdiagnosis occurs on another poor soul that could lead to death.

27. D. White wrote:

By the way, as a response to R.J. Snyder, mistreatment of black patients occur by white, black and foreign doctors, period. Everyone in the medical profession knows this. It’s as if there’s a built in contempt.

28. BC Planning wrote:

I’ve had a somewhat similar experience, although overall I treated nicely by the staff but when it time to see a doctor (I came in for chest pain) he kept grilling me about not taking drugs. And then on the exit papers, he wrote, do not take illegal drugs.

Like you, I dont know if that was slightly racist that he would jusdge me like that, or my age but I ticked off that I would be judged like that.

29. mike wrote:

Good evening Marc…I’m very sorry to hear that you’re not feeling well. Please take this time to rest and lighten your load for a few days. Take out an afternoon and go to a day spa for a massage…just chill. Please do not worry about retaliation at this point. The important thing is that you’re safe. Much love, mp.

30. Bobby wrote:

Marc, let me point out, then, that racism COULD have been a factor in your assessment of the situation as well, no?

31. Marc Lamont Hill wrote:

indeed, it could be. the thing is, i never said that this was a race issue. in fact, i didn’t believe that race was the reason for his behavior. it seems to me that you’re disagreeing just for the sake of disagreeing.

32. Blaxx wrote:

Bobby has only been here for a day or two but that about sums him up. Just like all the other people who show up to torment the barbershop for a minute then disappear.

33. martin wrote:

YOU ARE A TYPICAL VICTIM THAT THINKS EVERYONE IS OUT TO GET YOU BECAUSE YOURE BLACK. YOURE A DISGRACE TO ALL BLACK PEOPLE.

34. R.J. Snyder wrote:

Marc, my point is and was, why did you even mention race in your comments about your visit to the ER? How about just talking about the experience and what you observed?

35. Marc Lamont Hill wrote:

because the assumption from many people would be, for a variety of reasons, that the doctor was white. after all, most doctors in this country are white. as such, many people would assume that this was a run-of-the-mill case of anti-black racism. in fact, whenever i told the story to people (of all races) without mentioning race at all, nearly all attributed my claim to racism. while i cannot dismiss this claim, particularly given the pervasiveness of medical racism, i did not want people to understand that it’s more complex than that.

36. james wrote:

most health providers are not fond of drug-seekers. marc, like it or not, you probably fit the profile of a drug-seeker, particularly with the complaints you issued. however, let me also say that yes, many doctors could use a little work on their customer service and people skills.

but it’s like that everywhere; customer service is an uneven proposition because it relies so much on intangibles such as personality and job-fit. how many times have you called one person, got no help; called back a day or two later for the same problem, and got service with a smile? why i’ve even seen a few college professors who sucked at dealing with their students, and i’ll bet you have too. generally, i consider these people incompetent, but i would never call them on it (i didn’t hire them), as they are just trying to make a living. i would probably just do my best to avoid taking my business to them again.

37. ronk wrote:

I would definitely think about seeing an eastern doctor they are known for working wonders to alleviate physical maladies. Never known an E.R. doctor to be so rude.

38. R.J. Snyder wrote:

James, I agree with your comments about how people are treated or mistreated in the service/medical industry. But, I do take exeption with your comments about Marc fitting the profile of a drug seeker. I very seldom agree with Marc’s views but I don’t believe that he fits the profile of a drug seeker.

39. james wrote:

it’s a very large profile, rj, involving complaints of back and neck pain. to me, marc seems a little young to be complaining of the kind of neck or back pain that he experienced.

regardless, the issue at hand is lousy customer service, a staple in many american industries.

40. Clifton Harrison wrote:

It’s very possible, and in my opinion, probable, that when telling the story without indicating race, people may assume and assign white with doctor without even realizing it. Just as some equate nurse with women, and the list goes on.

I was reflecting on the word ‘racist’, and i was wondering what you thought of assigning that word to person or people. In my opinion, the word racist implies a permanent mindstate or characteristic of a person.

What do you think Marc?
Or anyone for that matter?

41. Bobby wrote:

“After making sure I could feel my arms, he asked how I injured my neck. Before I could answer, he cut me off and said “I’ve heard enough. Do you want an x-ray or not?””

Marc, were you sick or were you injured? What were you trying to tell the doctor before he cut you off?

You’re obviously in form now, evidenced by your smack-down of O’Reilly.;^)

42. james wrote:

clifton, i thought marc mentioned the race of the doctor because race is often a factor in poor customer service. other prejudices can also contribute to poor customer service, such as prejudices against immigrants, jews or fat people for that matter. poor customer service is probably at epidemic levels considering we have so many different kinds of customers in america.

43. Clifton Harrison wrote:

true james, but i thought he was relating or possibly proposing the idea that he may have been treated unfairly or poorly because he was black. With that, i understood or took from it that the people he told the story to were inferring that because Marc was Black, and (assuming the doctor was white), their was the tension and poor customer service.

But i honestly could be wrong and i just personally associated white with doctor…

but regardless, i agree that poor customer service is a big problem, across many different services..

44. Uhura wrote:

This is a horrible thing to say but here it is:

It’s best to go to or arrive @ the ER wearing a suit or other business attire if you’re non-White.

45. R.J. Snyder wrote:

Uhura, you’re right, that may have been a horrible thing to say. Go and visit an ER, it is mosaic of color and I don’t believe that folks are triaged by color but rather by need. Anyone who mistreats a person at an ER should be reported and prosecuted for any such behavior.

46. *M* wrote:

It was 6.30 and he was mostly likely at the end of a 10+ hour shift and wanted to sleep. Or just starting another 10+ hours shift after doing one the day before. Doctors and Nurses are very overworked, specially in teaching or county hospitals.
Poor service is not acceptable, specially when dealing with peoples lives. But it should be taken in to account that they are exhausted and overworked, thats management fault, not theirs.
Racism is not reasoning for everything, im so tired of that being the first thing through out, and not considering other circumstances. Not all non-blacks a racist.

47. ChgoSista wrote:

“so tired of that being the first thing through out,”–> WELL, M, YOU GON’ BE TIRED AN AWFUL LOT, THEN.

48. ChgoSista wrote:

Cuz the health care industry is MOST DEFINITELY a racist institution. It’s classist, too!

49. R.J. Snyder wrote:

ChgoSista, what do you base your racist and class statements on in your comments? That seems like a pretty broad statement. Some in the medical profession could fall into your categories but I like to think that the overwhelming majority of folks working in the ER are thinking about helping people.

50. Bobby wrote:

Addition to comment#37: Marc, as much as I enjoy O’Reilly getting challenged, you might want to check the claim that the U.S. government “injected Black men with syphilis” in the Tuskegee experiment. It’s simply untrue.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-mills/blacks-injected-with-sy_b_92896.html

51. ChgoSista wrote:

RJ Snyder, aside from my personal experiences (as well as the experiences of others with whom I’m acquainted) with medical professionals, PICK UP A BOOK or DO SOME RESEARCH–and you will have all the answers to your questions. Damn!

52. james wrote:

rj, start with this article below:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/07/20/tests_of_er_trainees_find_signs_of_race_bias_in_care/

then move on to googling up black hispanic emergency room, which will point to another recent study involving the prescription of opioids (marc, you’re quite lucky to have gotten your prescription). i’ve seen other studies as well.

53. Bloodmerchant wrote:

Who would think that a person who spent 8+ years learning the human body inside and out would have people skills? It’s like they actually have to care about you or something. I mean what ever happened to the customer is always right? I did not know that if you were in a medical situation you are exempt from this. If you paid cash out for their service I would bitch to the hospital. If your insurance covered it, let them know, they go out of their way not to have to pay for things.

54. sendschie wrote:

I’m still curious about the race bit. Was he Hindu (read: Indian)? I find that Hindus tend to have somewhat a propensity to be hostile to Negroes. In my many encounters with 1st generation and immigrant South Asians, I have noticed that the monotheists (from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Punjab, Goa, and Kerala) are much more respectful to me and other non-whites, whereas the Hindus treat me with a fair amount of disdain, refuse, argumentatively, to listen to my prescriptions (although I’m in a position of authority), and have on many occasions solicited a “better opinion” from my white subordinates who always, in turn, refer them back to me…. which they hate.

55. T.M. Abbott wrote:

Well, speaking as a registered nurse (yes, it is my first and beloved vocation) I’m very sorry to hear that this happened to you. I have to believe it wasn’t personal because Chestnut Hill Health System is a quality healthcare facility. That said, the doctor may have been under a lot of stress. who knows what was happening somewhere else in the facility beyond your purview. Take it from me, ER staff all have their moments as was expressed earlier by John (#11, #12).
Despite appearances Physicians, nursing staff, and technicians aren’t as plentiful as it appears. On top of healthcare being a demanding field it isn’t unusual for emergency rooms to be short staffed. The long waits are not on purpose. Ideally the stress healthcare practitioners choose is maintained behind a cordial and congenial manner, but it doesn’t always workout that way needless to say. I totally agree. There is no excuse for his behaviour and, while it is your choice, it would be in the best interests of yourself and others to call him and the passive staff to task. When we recognize such behaviour as you’ve experienced in ourselves, we know it’s time to pick another stress. Perhaps this is the case with Dr. Mean. No one should be subject to such treament. It is unethical on several levels.

56. T.M. Abbott wrote:

And go to your family doctor. Not a diagnosis, but it sounds like migraine symptoms. Sometimes people get nausea from the intensity of head and neck pain. But it wouldn’t be unheard of for a doctor to percribe an MRI.

57. Bobby wrote:

Marc, why did you remove my post about the Tuskegee experiment?
Does it bother you to have this national discussion we’re all supposed to be having?

I know you have a right to censor whatever you want here, but when you censor the truth, it means you’re not being intellectually honest in your pursuit.

Marc, you can either refute it or admit it, but you can’t run from it.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-mills/blacks-injected-with-sy_b_92896.html

58. Bobby wrote:

Okay, so now you can take down post 51.

See ya round………

59. YD wrote:

RJ, the fact is that color, race, class and how we look ARE the biggest influences for how we are treated in today’s superficial world. RJ white people don’t have the only monopoly on being racist! People of all colors and races also discriminate against others AND their own on the grounds of racism. The fact is, whether we like it or not, we ALL unfortunately learn the unconscious processes of judging people on these grounds and black people are alot more commonly associated with negative stereotypes than positive ones. And yes just like everyone else, people of color also learn through society to perpetuate and discriminate based on these values. By suggesting that there is shame in Marc’s acknowledgement that how he was treated MIGHT have been due to racism, I suggest to you that you, RJ are allowing your own personal discomfort with the reality of racism to cause you to project your own misplaced guilt into interfering with the kind of important dialog that addresses, enlightens and ultimately leads to some change. Shame on YOU RJ.