As much as I hate to make accusations, I swear some of my patients show up in the emergency department for the sole purpose of obtaining a note excusing them from work. In fact, this isn’t even an accusation because some of them tell me the reason for their visit is an authorized day to play hooky rather than the purported cough and sniffles. Diagnosis? Ferris Bueller Syndrome.
Writing unnecessary work excuses quite frankly enrages me to the core. It hits on my sense of self worth. Did I really go to school this long just to write work excuses? Not to mention, I show up at the hospital when I’m personally feeling under the weather. It’s called responsibility. Can’t employers hire employees they trust rather than make them turn in a note to claim a sick day? So 9th grade. This wastes my time, the employee’s time, exposes an entire waiting room to the virus at hand and costs precious healthcare dollars. All for a case of rhinovirus. Sigh.
Like me, one physician in Canada had finally had it with fake illnesses, unnecessary office visits, and writing work excuses. So, this Nova Scotia doc drafted the response of a lifetime. For your reading pleasure:
Thoughts?
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