Phone doctor

8 March 2012

One may think the term "phone doctor" has a similar meaning to "company doctor", referring to a person who fixes telephones. However, this term has another meaning in Tasmania.

In the news today, there was an inquest 死因聆訊 into the death of a young mother who had an infection 感染 after a surgery in Hobart. She died a day after she was discharged 被安排出院 from the hospital by a doctor over the phone. That is, the doctor did not see her in person. The forensic 法醫 pathologist 病理學醫生 described the deceased 死去的 patient's vital signs 重要生命指標  at  the time of discharge as "alarming" 響起警號 and an indication she was not stable.

This story gets heard because it involves a tragic 不幸的 death.

So, my experience receiving a phone call from the hospital doctor telling me to remove the brace myself is not a single incident. I believe, many cases like mine remain unheard.