A physican where I work called a patient a "FAT PIG!"

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A GI doc on my floor had to do abdominal surgery on a very fat woman. As you know, these surgeries take longer. It was his last case and he was very tired by the time it was completed. The family was very angry that the surgery took so long. Anyway, after the patient was placed into her room, her family joined her. The MD walked in the room to check on her and as soon as he walked in her husband said angrily "What took you so long!?" The physician responded back with "She's a fat pig, what did you expect?" and walked out of the room. He got a phone call from administration as he was driving home and was told he had to go back to the hospital and apologize. And that was it. No other consequences.

A nurse would be terminated on the spot if he or she did something like that. It's not fair.

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Wooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!! That's all I can say!

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strange story. 1st a GI doc doing abdominal surgery??? and 2nd a family angry because the surgery took long??? If I was a family member of a patient which the surgery took long I wouldnt be angry, in the contrary I would be anxious/stress that something happened during the procedure/surgery and would like to talk to the physician, but angry?? I dont know.

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Yes! They were not happy at all.

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Specializes in LTC.

Wow ! I'm shocked... then again I'm not.Nothing surprises me anymore.

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Well, push somebody's buttons at the wrong time and you may just get what they are really thinking. I can't condone what he did, but I certainly can see where the doctor was coming from. My daughter's surgeon had to go in and open her up again and revise his work, turning a 7-9 hour surgery into 14 hours. He looked bedraggled and had a noticeable five o'clock shadow. All I could do was to thank him for taking care of my daughter and I made some lame comment about going to get some food and rest. Different people react differently in similar cases. I hope the lady is moved to make some lifestyle changes.

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what type of abdominal surgery was the GI doc doing?

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She wasn't my patient, I don't know and didn't ask because of HIPPA. I was shocked to hear that he said something like to a patient - he's nice and I've never seen him in a bad mood. But like someone said on here... push the wrong button on someone that's exhausted and you'll find out what they're really thinking :)

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Specializes in CMSRN.

Horrible was he said but he is till human. I can understand the outlash under the right circumstances. Does not make it right but possibly understandable.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

Far be it from me to make excuses for a surgeon's lack of tact, but I honestly can understand his frustration when confronted with an angry family after what must have been a frustrating/difficult/time-consuming surgery.

I truly believe that the "angry family" has been nurtured by today's concierge-style delivery of medical care.

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Specializes in CCU,ICU,ER retired.

If it had been my husband he would have popped the doc in the nose. But the kids would have gladly bailed him out.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Everyone has their breaking point when dealing with demanding and unreasonable patients and family members. Doctors are only humans.

He was wrong and he definitely should apologize. I'm sure a nurse would have been fired, but there have been moments I've been willing to sacrifice my job to tell a family member off like that. LOL

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