Doctor visits are different in Vienna than they are in Los Angeles. It comes back to Americans being prudish in comparison to Europeans. Here are two quick examples of what I mean.
Last year I went to the doctor for a general exam. I was led into his office and we sat down and chatted for a few minutes. How was I feeling? Anything abnormal? Anything that he should know about? Usual questions that I answered easily. He then told me to go over into a side room, get undressed, and then meet him at the examination table. Okay, I could do that. I went into the side room, which was really small, and looked around for my paper gown. None. The doctor really meant it. I was supposed to strip down, then waltz my naked self across a room, and plop down on the examination table.
I was a deer in headlights for a good three minutes. What was I supposed to do? The longer I stood there, the further away the examination table seemed from the little side room. Finally I walked out and ask the doctor for a paper gown. He looked surprised for a moment, but then said, “Ah yes. I have an English patient as well. I’ll get you a gown.” Apparently, only this one other patient and I had a problem with the long naked walk to the examination table.
Today is another example. I went to my yearly dermatologist appointment. I walked into the examination room and the dermatologist greeted me. As she chatted with me, she reached over and helped me take my shirt off. I know she was just being helpful and nice, but I was thinking I could manage it on my own. She continued to chat as she looked at my skin. She then grabbed my by my shoulders and turned me around to examine my back. Then she snapped my bra open, turned me around again and pushed my bra aside to exam me from that angle. I was a bit flustered to say the least. Again, I was turned around by the shoulders, and the doctor snapped my bra back in place. Well I guess that’s service, right?
What a difference from American doctors who don’t even want to breath wrong, let alone touch you unnecessarily in case of getting sued. The dermatologist from today was just being friendly, nice, and professional. She did what she thought was nature and right. I wasn’t uncomfortable, just a bit startled and amused by the cultural differences of something as simple and routine as a doctor’s visit.
I think I very well may be the English patient you mention…!
Is here office on linke wienzeile? sounds like our dermatologist
well, from my experience here, many local doctors are lacking in what is considered to be basic bedside manner in the UK but also in Switzerland- no greetings, just acting (touching, prodding, pushing, wanting to listen to your child’s heartbeat or check out her teeth without asking nor explaining what they are about to do…) not to mention that their assistant is often treated as a servant and in total submission to the doctor who bellows his/her orders/instructions to them as if they were a dog. In the end, their competence was always unquestioned, but the experience is alsways less pleasant than it could be. Quite a culture shock for us!!!
Eee gad Sandra. I’m sorry for that. Find new doctors, pronto. Though what I do struggle with ofte, is that Herr or Frau Doctor don’t like it when the patient says something against their assessments. I had a doctor scream at me when I dared to question her. Needless to say, I never went back. What a nut.
Wow I went through exactly the same, a dentist raising his voice at me, the nurse and my husband because of the same reason. What a nut was exactly what I thought.
Sorry to hear it Camila. Just remember, keep looking for the right doctor. We spend a lot of time trying on the right dress. Sometimes it takes as long to find the right doc
Oh how I sympathize with this post! When I went to the AKH for my first ultrasound (internal to be exact), I had to prance across the room and spread my legs for an entire med school team! I think my modesty has dropped a few notches since moving here for survival reasons!