I attended the Royal Perth ED with heart issues, which were subsequently diagnosed (external cardiologist) as pericarditis.
I found the initial doctors were great. After a few hours of waiting in the overflow area I was seen by a doctor (Doctor 1) who straight away told me they won't keep me there, told me to go to my GP, and asked me questions such as whether I have anorexia or bulimia (I believe none of my symptoms have anything to do with this and no one before or after asked me things like this). I felt like they wanted to move me on and that I wasn't even being listened to.
A colleague (Doctor 2) accompanied Doctor 1 later who was much different, listened to what I had to say, explained things, and prescribed me medication for suspected chronic pericarditis. I told both of them that I felt heard by the 2nd doctor and appreciated their approach and felt unheard by the 1st one who was asking me questions that seemingly had nothing to do with my presenting symptoms (and gave them an example of a doctor dismissing me in my 20s as being too young to have a chronic health condition which I was then diagnosed with 12 months later). The 2nd doctor apologised for "miscommunication" (which I felt it was not, it was uncomfortable and irrelevant questioning).
They left to do sort out my discharge letter after agreeing to the plan. Not long after the 1st doctor came back again to ask me how much I weigh. Even though I believe they saw I was uncomfortable, they said they needed it for the discharge letter (and reluctantly I guessed my weight). It turns out my weight was not on the discharge letter and the specialist I saw after Royal Perth did not need it to confirm the diagnosis and treatment. Again, seemingly irrelevant and very uncomfortable questioning by first doctor.
Almost a week later I was still feeling very uncomfortable about what happened.
"Feeling unheard, uncomfortable"
About: Royal Perth Hospital / Emergency Department Royal Perth Hospital Emergency Department Perth 6000
Posted by tigerrk73 (as ),
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