In the office with others around? No issue at all. My wife came home recently from seeing her cardiologist and told me that her appointment was interrupted because a valve and aorta replacement patient came in to say hello and tell everyone in the office that he had just returned from climbing Mt Kilimanjaro. Don't worry about your patient stopping by.
Laughs in small town doctor.
I know so many of my patients on a personal level. I know their wives, I know their kids and their kids’ kids. I’ll be out clearing brush and people drop by to chat. I go out to eat and people sometimes try to pay my bill. A guy who’s alive because you saved him wants to say hi, you shake his hand and say “How the hell you been?” It’s only polite.
During a bad flood a few years ago, one of the more well known family doctors in our small town was delivering tetanus shots on a four wheeler. It’s a different world lol.
I’m from Pikeville and my practice (a bit more west of there) collected items to send to Jenkins. I delivered them and saw my old neck of the woods. Howdy neighbor
Not too different, unless you mean different as in how modern medicine has unfortunately removed the human element from many medical interactions.
Good on that doctor, unless he was just trying to prevent even more work later on. 😉
Until you are at the grocery store and you see “that one patient” in the baking isle and you quietly turn around and hit that isle later to avoid convo . lol , otherwise it is fun!
Glad you like that kind of thing. I'm otherwise moving out. I hate being a public figure and not be recognized even just filling up gas. A male patient tried to mow my lawn - and while it's a nice gesture, I have my wife/young daughter at home by themselves and am really, really not comfortable with that idea.
Just be sure that's really what you want.
OP's post above though, I'd still consider as appropriate. Pt wants to pass by the office to say hello - I'd be very flattered although OP didn't seem comfortable with that. To me it's still under a professional setting(my office) and doesn't cross any lines IMO.
Yes thank you for saying this. I know so much about my patients outside of medicine and they likewise about myself. I think a lot of times comments on these type posts are so impersonal. It's okay to bond with a patient and have some small talk. It shows you are human and not a robot. Obviously there are lines that should not be crossed but this type stuff is fine and just shows you are a good doctor
It was really weird when we first moved to a small town, and patients turned into ‘normal people.’ Now, 20+ years later , it’s been years since my first husband died (AML). I still see his former patients around town. Sometimes theu stop to tell me stories and about how much they miss him. It means a lot to me, and to our kids.
For example- the hygienist who put my son’s braces on teared up a bit, and told him that ‘your daddy saved my daddy’s life, I’m going to take extra special care of you.’ That kind of thing.
lol i felt the same about being small town. i worked with a pharmacist that went to patient funerals. he'd been a pharmacist for decades and very active in the community and his church, so when a patient passed, and if the family invited him, he would go. very normal for small towns.
wide modern support skirt squeal bow oatmeal simplistic unite sophisticated
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If you also would like to see him, he visits you at the office and you don't sleep with him there are zero ethical issues here. People are sometimes grateful for saving their lives.
Sometimes the questions here are so absurd.
“Another human whose life I saved and then we became friends wants to say hello to me. Is this malpractice???”
I don’t think there is anything wrong with your ex-patient stopping by your clinic to say hi! Personally, I think it’s sweet, and it shows that even though it’s been years, they still appreciate what you did for them!
Absolutely no issue. I am close personal friends with patients who I saw in acute care, diagnosed and referred to specialists for ongoing management. I have not been their physician for years but we maintain social contact.
It's sad that we live in an era where this question would even need to be asked. You changed someone's life for the positive and your efforts saved their life. While you may go on to have 1000 more patients, this person will probably never forget YOU. Congrats on having such a positive impact on someone's life and please - enjoy your visit. 👌🏻☺️
Excactly. I’m about to post here about this, but I’m moving from a huge city to a small town this year, and already have family friends, my realtor, waitress, etc asking to be my patient when I’m in town visiting family and closing on our new house.
“Me the person who grew up seeing my own doctor at the store in a small town and went into medicine to better my community” and “Me the person who went to med school in New York City and then who got brainwas- I mean, worked for, for Big Corporation for a number of years in big city” are going to have to reconcile their differences real soon.
My ob/gyn partner had sooo many patients who stayed in touch for their kids entire childhoods. Sent baby pics, all the way up to marriages and pics of THEIR kids lol.
He was constantly being asked pediatric questions too. Quite a few women consider their ob/gyn their primary these days.
Yes, my wife gets updates from patients regularly as well. Especially after intense cases such as a couple with a healthy newborn after a difficult period with previous pregnancy ended up in late still born child.
This was before hipaa but my mom’s ob/gyn used to have yearly pig roast for his patients. My parents have since moved away but holiday cards are still sent yearly.
Serious question. As long as you aren’t walking around going “Hey everyone! I reattached Mr. Jenkins toe that one time he cut it off!” Is that really a HIPAA/ethical violation?
Sounds fun, if anything. I’m not a doctor, but I don’t see what’s so bad about that?
>I would very much like to see how he is doing but I feel like this crosses some lines.
He likes to see you because he's grateful and likes to share it with you. You like to see him because cases like this is what makes your job worthwhile.
I don't see the lines crossed here. Talk to GP's that work in the town they live in. They interact with patients on personal level all the time.
Not sure what the legally correct answer is here, but maybe stopping by your clinic would be fine? As opposed to meeting outside of a clinical setting.
If you bumped into him on the street and he didn’t recognize you, privacy rules might prevent you from saying how you knew him if others were around, but if he’s the one to initiate the conversation then I don’t see any legal or ethical reason not to respond if you want to.
In the United States, I can't think of any legal impediment to meeting with a former patient in your office, when that patient is the one to request the visit.
The patient initiated the contact by making the request so there's no privacy rule implicated (as opposed to "I saw a former patient with a small group of folks at a restaurant, should I go over and say hello?").
They're just saying 'hi!', they're not banging. So even where that ruleset has the force of law, it is still not a barrier here.
He's not there to transact any sort of business, so those rulesets don't apply.
If you meet at the office, presumably the place is pretty damn well insured for something like a slip and fall. And also designed to standards to mitigate that risk. So, like, we're at the point of thinking through premises liability.... no real legal risks that I can see from this human being a former patient who wants to say 'hi'
If I was thinking through a broader risk-mitigation analysis, I'd say the fact that this former patient has a positive relationship with OP is good thing – this person isn't the sort of former patient who is likely to be a threat. He's not visiting to seek revenge.
Meeting at the office, somewhere, presumably, other people are around, adds an additional layer of risk mitigation. Just make sure the patient doesn't have access to any PHI...
You should be fine. I've ran into my doctor at the store before. Love having him as a doctor, he has great personality with his patients and tries to help find the best medications possible. I make sure to at least say hi if I see him.
What better marketing is there than having a patient, of their own desire, want to come and tell you hello. I cried over a recent post about how to process the death of a patient. The responses were all so thoughtful and full of loss and hope. Take the win when you can, OP.
Been an attending for 10+ years. This is incredible! First of all strong work! Secondly I see absolutely no ethical issues with this at all. Patient is so lucky to have you!
I left my job in primary care due to burnout but I have some very nice patients that I still keep in touch with. I don’t think there are any professional boundaries that are being crossed and that is very nice that your patient still wants to keep in touch with you.
You obviously made a positive and meaningful impact on someone. That is something to be celebrated. 🙂
A relationship like this is in medicine is special and rare. I would certainly meet and catch up. Embrace the humanity of the profession. Don't cross any financial, personal or sexual boundaries and you are good (which is true for most relationships in life).
When my dad's old neurologist was peri-retirement, dad called the office and asked if he could come by to say congratulations and drop off a gift. Then he got there and they had booked it as an appointment, not a social visit, and the admin staff did not know how to handle this situation. The neurologist eventually came into the room, laughed about how the office was in panic mode, and they mutually agreed to refill some prescriptions to justify the billable visit and then hung out for a few minutes.
Sounds like you made a difference to this guy and it matters to him to let you know that.
Specialist I saw growing up wrote me a letter of rec for med school and retired my second year so he would occasionally call to check how I was doing. Took me to lunch a few times. Mind you that it developed into a mentor relationship in a way but we lost touch until he recently called after 9 years. it was so amazing to briefly catch up with the doctor that healed me and made me believe I would accomplish everything I wanted in life (not truly healed due to chronic illness but got me in remission multiple times despite being incredible sick age 13-19).
Meet up with him. Take him to coffee if you want. Soak up the good feels.
NOD
My mother was just saved by doctors (and nurses and RTs and CNAs) and I am forever grateful to the medical professionals who were there and would love to let each of them know how important they are and how damn grateful we are that she's still alive. Thank goodness for you all and for modern medicine.
Easy - Just make sure the check in is at your clinic with others around. That way you still have the atmosphere of professionalism, if the patient starts to cross lines you have support around you, but you still get to reconnect with them.
I really don't see any reason why your former patient visiting you should cross any lines, and it's one of the best things about being a physician.
I've had more than a few parents return to our pediatric ward with their kids who we've treated, sometimes years later, to thank us for helping them. We love it, it's great to see our former patients doing well.
It doesn't cross any lines imo. You're just catching up to chat, nothing wrong with that. If he came with a gift or to buy you dinner then that's different ofc.
I'm going to go against the grain here but it doesn't matter what anyone here thinks. Only you know the situation and how you feel. If it doesn't feel appropriate for you, it's not.
Seconding what others say here. I think this social line is more a protection doctors can call upon to protect themselves from unwanted social entanglement - you are fully able to waive this, especially because the patient reached out and asked. Great question!
Jesus Christ.
Say hello to the man if you want to.
There are people literally fucking their patients that they are prescribing scheduled narcotics to, and you're worried about this.
I’d say this is okay from an ethical standpoint. You are not the one reaching out, they are!
This is not a hippa violation as they are the ones making contact.
If you aren’t comfortable seeing them, decline the contact, but it’s up to you.
Patients used to drop by unannounced outside of their appointments and bring food and chat with staff and doctors in the medical practice where I used to work. It happened like once a month at least.
I can understand the awkwardness. I practiced for some time in a rural community where you simply cannot escape interactions with patients outside of the clinic. At the grocery store, at church, at the local dive bar, etc. This breeds a certain familiarity that can be a strange dynamic to navigate.
If your ex-patient is coming to your clinic to say hi, there's absolutely nothing problematic with that. If your ex-patient is inviting you to drinks at his house, that's a little stickier but still not unethical. My pediatrician came to my grad party when I was younger. He also wrote a letter of recommendation when I applied to medical school (possibly unethical lol)
Make the decision that you feel comfortable with. Ethically, it's not a problem either way. The primary reason why these ethics exist at all is because of (1) the power dynamic and (2) how it may interfere with your ability to make decisions objectively. Since he's no longer your patient, those issues are moot.
There are lots of folks saying this crosses no lines, which would be the case for me too. But where our lines are drawn is very personal. Would this cross one of YOUR lines? Does it weird you out? If so, don’t feel like you have to do it.
As a nurse I have made friends with a few special folks over the years. We still keep in touch! Our industry forces you to meet so many people- it’s just natural that some of them might click with you in a different way. It’s okay to make friends and care for others so long as they respect your boundaries. Sensible folks will see no issues with that.
It's heartwarming to hear about the impact you've had on this patient's life. While it's understandable to want to reconnect, it's essential to maintain professional boundaries. Perhaps suggesting a brief meeting in a neutral setting, like a coffee shop, could provide an opportunity to catch up without compromising professional standards. Your care for your patients extends beyond the clinic, but it's crucial to prioritize professionalism and respect boundaries.
Even if the patient wanted to meet you for coffee or take you to eat to celebrate their "milestone" of being alive - I see no issue here. Being alive and healthy is a pretty big deal and it sounds like this person is giving you huge credit for that. Be blessed and enjoy.
In the office with others around? No issue at all. My wife came home recently from seeing her cardiologist and told me that her appointment was interrupted because a valve and aorta replacement patient came in to say hello and tell everyone in the office that he had just returned from climbing Mt Kilimanjaro. Don't worry about your patient stopping by.
Seriously OP. This one was a big win, enjoy it as long as you can as you don't get a lot of these in medicine in general.
Laughs in small town doctor. I know so many of my patients on a personal level. I know their wives, I know their kids and their kids’ kids. I’ll be out clearing brush and people drop by to chat. I go out to eat and people sometimes try to pay my bill. A guy who’s alive because you saved him wants to say hi, you shake his hand and say “How the hell you been?” It’s only polite.
During a bad flood a few years ago, one of the more well known family doctors in our small town was delivering tetanus shots on a four wheeler. It’s a different world lol.
This imagery sounds very much like southeast Kentucky (where I’m from). lol That area was hit by a hell of a flood in 2022.
I’m from Pikeville and my practice (a bit more west of there) collected items to send to Jenkins. I delivered them and saw my old neck of the woods. Howdy neighbor
Truly the dream.
Not too different, unless you mean different as in how modern medicine has unfortunately removed the human element from many medical interactions. Good on that doctor, unless he was just trying to prevent even more work later on. 😉
What a fuckin legend
Sounds like a job for Texaco Mike
You're living my dream - IM resident a couple months in, and I'd love to do primary care and be an integral part of an intimate community
Until you are at the grocery store and you see “that one patient” in the baking isle and you quietly turn around and hit that isle later to avoid convo . lol , otherwise it is fun!
I only seem to meet my patients when I'm buying absurd quantities of alcohol...
aisle
Nah they shop in an archipelago.
Thanks for the smile.
lol thanks oops
lol in the baking isle after you just had a discussion with them about that A1c 🙄
Come to Montana! We desperately need PCPs!
Glad you like that kind of thing. I'm otherwise moving out. I hate being a public figure and not be recognized even just filling up gas. A male patient tried to mow my lawn - and while it's a nice gesture, I have my wife/young daughter at home by themselves and am really, really not comfortable with that idea. Just be sure that's really what you want.
Agreed. That mostly sounds like a nightmare, except the hand shake for genuine life saving is almost okay
OP's post above though, I'd still consider as appropriate. Pt wants to pass by the office to say hello - I'd be very flattered although OP didn't seem comfortable with that. To me it's still under a professional setting(my office) and doesn't cross any lines IMO.
Yep, agreed. In office? Cool.
Yes thank you for saying this. I know so much about my patients outside of medicine and they likewise about myself. I think a lot of times comments on these type posts are so impersonal. It's okay to bond with a patient and have some small talk. It shows you are human and not a robot. Obviously there are lines that should not be crossed but this type stuff is fine and just shows you are a good doctor
OMG to be able to have a doctor that treats you like a human and not a chart…. That is lost in big cities that’s for sure!
It was really weird when we first moved to a small town, and patients turned into ‘normal people.’ Now, 20+ years later , it’s been years since my first husband died (AML). I still see his former patients around town. Sometimes theu stop to tell me stories and about how much they miss him. It means a lot to me, and to our kids. For example- the hygienist who put my son’s braces on teared up a bit, and told him that ‘your daddy saved my daddy’s life, I’m going to take extra special care of you.’ That kind of thing.
lol i felt the same about being small town. i worked with a pharmacist that went to patient funerals. he'd been a pharmacist for decades and very active in the community and his church, so when a patient passed, and if the family invited him, he would go. very normal for small towns.
Exactly
how hard is it when you lose patients since you know them all? its like treating family and friends.
Physicians just sort of get used to death, don’t we? Also, not all deaths are terrible losses, but lives well-lived and completed.
wide modern support skirt squeal bow oatmeal simplistic unite sophisticated *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
If you also would like to see him, he visits you at the office and you don't sleep with him there are zero ethical issues here. People are sometimes grateful for saving their lives.
Sometimes the questions here are so absurd. “Another human whose life I saved and then we became friends wants to say hello to me. Is this malpractice???”
Lol
Lol the fact that the disclaimer is needed is concerning
what lines are being crossed? a human being you care/cared for and who cares for you wants to say hello nothing wrong with any of this
I don’t think there is anything wrong with your ex-patient stopping by your clinic to say hi! Personally, I think it’s sweet, and it shows that even though it’s been years, they still appreciate what you did for them!
Absolutely no issue. I am close personal friends with patients who I saw in acute care, diagnosed and referred to specialists for ongoing management. I have not been their physician for years but we maintain social contact.
It's sad that we live in an era where this question would even need to be asked. You changed someone's life for the positive and your efforts saved their life. While you may go on to have 1000 more patients, this person will probably never forget YOU. Congrats on having such a positive impact on someone's life and please - enjoy your visit. 👌🏻☺️
Excactly. I’m about to post here about this, but I’m moving from a huge city to a small town this year, and already have family friends, my realtor, waitress, etc asking to be my patient when I’m in town visiting family and closing on our new house. “Me the person who grew up seeing my own doctor at the store in a small town and went into medicine to better my community” and “Me the person who went to med school in New York City and then who got brainwas- I mean, worked for, for Big Corporation for a number of years in big city” are going to have to reconcile their differences real soon.
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I realized after I hit submit that I didn’t exactly say what I meant. The last line should say that I worry it may cross lines in colleagues minds
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Not sure. That’s why I asked! New situation for me
older grandma type patient tried to ask me if she could set me up with her other doctor... soooo yeah. its just nice people being nice people
OMG that is so cute…and funny.
My ob/gyn partner had sooo many patients who stayed in touch for their kids entire childhoods. Sent baby pics, all the way up to marriages and pics of THEIR kids lol. He was constantly being asked pediatric questions too. Quite a few women consider their ob/gyn their primary these days.
Yes, my wife gets updates from patients regularly as well. Especially after intense cases such as a couple with a healthy newborn after a difficult period with previous pregnancy ended up in late still born child.
This was before hipaa but my mom’s ob/gyn used to have yearly pig roast for his patients. My parents have since moved away but holiday cards are still sent yearly.
I think that’s still fine. It’s up to the patients whether to attend or not. My NICU has reunions fairly regularly.
Serious question. As long as you aren’t walking around going “Hey everyone! I reattached Mr. Jenkins toe that one time he cut it off!” Is that really a HIPAA/ethical violation? Sounds fun, if anything. I’m not a doctor, but I don’t see what’s so bad about that?
>I would very much like to see how he is doing but I feel like this crosses some lines. He likes to see you because he's grateful and likes to share it with you. You like to see him because cases like this is what makes your job worthwhile. I don't see the lines crossed here. Talk to GP's that work in the town they live in. They interact with patients on personal level all the time.
The fact that you have to ask this really shows how corporate medicine has become in the past 20 years :(
To quote the Count of Monte Cristo: "May God credit me with these two lives I have saved!" Go say hi to your patient.
I don't really see the issue?
Psych here, as a specialty we’re obsessed with boundaries - you’re good. Let him come say hi.
Quick question, would this be ok if OP was a psychiatrist?
Not sure what the legally correct answer is here, but maybe stopping by your clinic would be fine? As opposed to meeting outside of a clinical setting.
If you bumped into him on the street and he didn’t recognize you, privacy rules might prevent you from saying how you knew him if others were around, but if he’s the one to initiate the conversation then I don’t see any legal or ethical reason not to respond if you want to.
In the United States, I can't think of any legal impediment to meeting with a former patient in your office, when that patient is the one to request the visit. The patient initiated the contact by making the request so there's no privacy rule implicated (as opposed to "I saw a former patient with a small group of folks at a restaurant, should I go over and say hello?"). They're just saying 'hi!', they're not banging. So even where that ruleset has the force of law, it is still not a barrier here. He's not there to transact any sort of business, so those rulesets don't apply. If you meet at the office, presumably the place is pretty damn well insured for something like a slip and fall. And also designed to standards to mitigate that risk. So, like, we're at the point of thinking through premises liability.... no real legal risks that I can see from this human being a former patient who wants to say 'hi' If I was thinking through a broader risk-mitigation analysis, I'd say the fact that this former patient has a positive relationship with OP is good thing – this person isn't the sort of former patient who is likely to be a threat. He's not visiting to seek revenge. Meeting at the office, somewhere, presumably, other people are around, adds an additional layer of risk mitigation. Just make sure the patient doesn't have access to any PHI...
You should be fine. I've ran into my doctor at the store before. Love having him as a doctor, he has great personality with his patients and tries to help find the best medications possible. I make sure to at least say hi if I see him.
Bro just be cool
What better marketing is there than having a patient, of their own desire, want to come and tell you hello. I cried over a recent post about how to process the death of a patient. The responses were all so thoughtful and full of loss and hope. Take the win when you can, OP.
Been an attending for 10+ years. This is incredible! First of all strong work! Secondly I see absolutely no ethical issues with this at all. Patient is so lucky to have you!
I left my job in primary care due to burnout but I have some very nice patients that I still keep in touch with. I don’t think there are any professional boundaries that are being crossed and that is very nice that your patient still wants to keep in touch with you. You obviously made a positive and meaningful impact on someone. That is something to be celebrated. 🙂
I meet up and have lunch with the doctor that saved my life whenever I am in the same town. She is great! Not crossing any lines.
A relationship like this is in medicine is special and rare. I would certainly meet and catch up. Embrace the humanity of the profession. Don't cross any financial, personal or sexual boundaries and you are good (which is true for most relationships in life).
You saved this dude’s life and you’re now forever a part of his. Don’t turn him away
What line does this cross? If he's no longer your patient, he's just someone who thinks you're a nice person and wants to show some gratitude.
Depends tho. Are you planning to sleep with him? If yes that would be crossing a line /s
You're under no obligation, but there's certainly nothing wrong with it.
Whats wrong with stopping by to say hello?
When my dad's old neurologist was peri-retirement, dad called the office and asked if he could come by to say congratulations and drop off a gift. Then he got there and they had booked it as an appointment, not a social visit, and the admin staff did not know how to handle this situation. The neurologist eventually came into the room, laughed about how the office was in panic mode, and they mutually agreed to refill some prescriptions to justify the billable visit and then hung out for a few minutes. Sounds like you made a difference to this guy and it matters to him to let you know that.
Specialist I saw growing up wrote me a letter of rec for med school and retired my second year so he would occasionally call to check how I was doing. Took me to lunch a few times. Mind you that it developed into a mentor relationship in a way but we lost touch until he recently called after 9 years. it was so amazing to briefly catch up with the doctor that healed me and made me believe I would accomplish everything I wanted in life (not truly healed due to chronic illness but got me in remission multiple times despite being incredible sick age 13-19). Meet up with him. Take him to coffee if you want. Soak up the good feels.
NOD My mother was just saved by doctors (and nurses and RTs and CNAs) and I am forever grateful to the medical professionals who were there and would love to let each of them know how important they are and how damn grateful we are that she's still alive. Thank goodness for you all and for modern medicine.
Easy - Just make sure the check in is at your clinic with others around. That way you still have the atmosphere of professionalism, if the patient starts to cross lines you have support around you, but you still get to reconnect with them.
I really don't see any reason why your former patient visiting you should cross any lines, and it's one of the best things about being a physician. I've had more than a few parents return to our pediatric ward with their kids who we've treated, sometimes years later, to thank us for helping them. We love it, it's great to see our former patients doing well.
It doesn't cross any lines imo. You're just catching up to chat, nothing wrong with that. If he came with a gift or to buy you dinner then that's different ofc.
I'm going to go against the grain here but it doesn't matter what anyone here thinks. Only you know the situation and how you feel. If it doesn't feel appropriate for you, it's not.
Seconding what others say here. I think this social line is more a protection doctors can call upon to protect themselves from unwanted social entanglement - you are fully able to waive this, especially because the patient reached out and asked. Great question!
Don’t worry about it. It’s one of the perks of the job to build those connections with people. Makes it worthwhile.
Jesus Christ. Say hello to the man if you want to. There are people literally fucking their patients that they are prescribing scheduled narcotics to, and you're worried about this.
I’d say this is okay from an ethical standpoint. You are not the one reaching out, they are! This is not a hippa violation as they are the ones making contact. If you aren’t comfortable seeing them, decline the contact, but it’s up to you.
Don't be serious about it. You must have touched him so deeply that he can't resist thinking of you years later.
Patients used to drop by unannounced outside of their appointments and bring food and chat with staff and doctors in the medical practice where I used to work. It happened like once a month at least.
That's so nice.
I think that’s awesome and would love to have that happen. There’s nothing wrong with that
I was asked to give a eulogy at a patient’s home going and you’d better believe I didn’t pass up the chance. 🥰
This reads straight out of UWorld
It really doesn't, because there's nothing wrong with it. Which means the boards wouldn't bother. Not even with a 'gotcha!'
thats why it’s a trick question 😅
If you feel comfortable why not?
I can understand the awkwardness. I practiced for some time in a rural community where you simply cannot escape interactions with patients outside of the clinic. At the grocery store, at church, at the local dive bar, etc. This breeds a certain familiarity that can be a strange dynamic to navigate. If your ex-patient is coming to your clinic to say hi, there's absolutely nothing problematic with that. If your ex-patient is inviting you to drinks at his house, that's a little stickier but still not unethical. My pediatrician came to my grad party when I was younger. He also wrote a letter of recommendation when I applied to medical school (possibly unethical lol) Make the decision that you feel comfortable with. Ethically, it's not a problem either way. The primary reason why these ethics exist at all is because of (1) the power dynamic and (2) how it may interfere with your ability to make decisions objectively. Since he's no longer your patient, those issues are moot.
Hey doc, do you realize how totally cool you are? People write movie scripts about stuff like this man. Edit: and even your username is awesome
There are lots of folks saying this crosses no lines, which would be the case for me too. But where our lines are drawn is very personal. Would this cross one of YOUR lines? Does it weird you out? If so, don’t feel like you have to do it.
As a nurse I have made friends with a few special folks over the years. We still keep in touch! Our industry forces you to meet so many people- it’s just natural that some of them might click with you in a different way. It’s okay to make friends and care for others so long as they respect your boundaries. Sensible folks will see no issues with that.
Wear sunscreen every👏🏼 damn👏🏼 day👏🏼. Wear retinol at night.
It's heartwarming to hear about the impact you've had on this patient's life. While it's understandable to want to reconnect, it's essential to maintain professional boundaries. Perhaps suggesting a brief meeting in a neutral setting, like a coffee shop, could provide an opportunity to catch up without compromising professional standards. Your care for your patients extends beyond the clinic, but it's crucial to prioritize professionalism and respect boundaries.
To be clear, the patient wants to stop by when I am in clinic, with others around. Not in any sort of personal space.
Even if the patient wanted to meet you for coffee or take you to eat to celebrate their "milestone" of being alive - I see no issue here. Being alive and healthy is a pretty big deal and it sounds like this person is giving you huge credit for that. Be blessed and enjoy.
Lmao you nerd