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Saturday, October 6, 2012

A little humor goes a long way

The RT was giving a breathing treatment.  The nurse was in the room putting some medication into the IV. The patient was sitting there being cool. After the breathing treatment the patient says:  So whatcha put in that thing anyway?"

The RT says, "Oh, nothing.  I just put some water in this cup and all you did was breathe in water.  We do it so you think we're doing something.  Most people get better just with a placebo.  It actually has a scientific name:  the placebo effect.  You know, that's what we do all day long.  Then we bill your insurance company and we get paid for basically doing nothing.  It's perfectly legal you know."

The patient says:  "Yeah, I perfectly understand.  Sounds like good medicine to me."  He laughed.

The RT, feigning seriosity says, "And when we're done we ask the patient 'so, do you feel better,' and almost all the time the patient says yes.  Most of what we do is this way.  Even that EKG I did on you earlier said 'normal.;  We just like to suck as much money our of your insurance as we can.  Because a third party is paying patent's don't even question all this stuff we do to them.  It's easy money.  It's how hospitals stay in business."

The patient says:  "I know.  And you can suck as much money out of my insurance as you want, because it's Medicare and you're paying." 

As the RT left the room the nurse and patient were in stitches.  He wasn't intending to be funny, it just came out that way.  It's how it is all day every day.  Patients love the RT for his humor and spirit of equanimity. 

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