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Customer or patient?The words used in a language must be carefully chosen for they are the basic units of our system of communication. It is the usage of a word in a unique context that, over a long period of time, determines its exact meaning. I have seen the misuse of the word "customer" for "patient" in messages, newspapers, and magazines. This turn of events disturbs me. For centuries, we have said that a minister has his or her congregation or flock rather than customers. A lawyer has his or her clients, rather than customers. A teacher has his or her students, rather than customers. A Little League baseball game is witnessed by fans and not customers. Some may ask, "Why make a fuss about identifying patients as customers?" Here is why. It should be clear to everyone that the delivery of patient care by the government and the private sector has failed to satisfy patients as well as doctors, nurses, and physician assistants, to name a few. A great paradox has been created -- what is known cannot be delivered. Major changes in this failing system will come. In the meantime, we can begin by cleaning up the language that offends and demeans those who are on the front line of doing the best they can. So I do not believe that doctors, nurses, physician assistants, or dentists should be called health care providers, and I do not consider it proper to refer to patients as customers.
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More websites worth watchingThere was no mention of the Sickle Cell Information Center website in the "Dot to Dot" article (Winter 2000-2001). This is the largest data bank about sickle cell disease and features two online guidebooks for clinicians as well as multiple tutorials. That website address is www.emory.edu/PEDS/SICKLE. |
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Web version by Jaime Henriquez.