Should Doctors be Allowed to Refuse Treatment if Parents Won’t Vaccinate? - Page 6

[kathymuggle]

Originally Posted by Adaline'sMama 

To be fair, there are doctors that fire patients who wont quit smoking and who arent making strides to lose weight.

http://commonhealth.wbur.org/2012/08/mass-doctor-wont-accept-new-patients-who-are-obese

While I am not sure I agree with firing smokers and overweight people, smoking and weight do heavily affect most organs and life expectancy.  

Not-vaccinating does not. 

Most VPD's, whether due to herd immunity or simple disease decline for one reason or another, are very rare.

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/downloads/appendices/G/cases&deaths.pdf

In the cases where things are not rare (CP, pertussis, influenza come to mind) the vaccine is not overly effective.

[Turquesa]

Well, with weight loss and smoking, context is everything. The analogy with vaxes isn't entirely fitting because while vaxing is a quick occurrence, weight loss and smoking cessation require rigorous behavior modification, lifestyle changes, and sometimes even psychotherapy. If a client flat-out refuses to try, that's one thing. But if a doctor just says, "Lose weight before your next appointment or you can't come back,"....that's quite another!

[chickabiddy]

Yes, I do think a doctor should be able to terminate relationships for whatever reason s/he chooses (as long as it does not violate federal anti-discrimination law).  I do not think it is the right thing to do, but I think it is a right.  Nobody should be legally obligated to continue a professional relationship.

I write this as an overweight woman who operates a (very) small business.  I see both sides.

I think it would be absolutely foolish for a doctor to make a huge long list of reasons for termination.  A whole lot of folks would probably decide to go elsewhere, even if they met the criteria to stay.

But we do not have the right to demand treatment from the doctor (or any other businessperson) of our choice, at our convenience, on our own terms.  We just don't.

[Taximom5]

Originally Posted by chickabiddy 

Yes, I do think a doctor should be able to terminate relationships for whatever reason s/he chooses (as long as it does not violate federal anti-discrimination law).  I do not think it is the right thing to do, but I think it is a right.  Nobody should be legally obligated to continue a professional relationship.

I write this as an overweight woman who operates a (very) small business.  I see both sides.

I think it would be absolutely foolish for a doctor to make a huge long list of reasons for termination.  A whole lot of folks would probably decide to go elsewhere, even if they met the criteria to stay.

But we do not have the right to demand treatment from the doctor (or any other businessperson) of our choice, at our convenience, on our own terms.  We just don't.

But then, at what point do parents NOT have the right to obtain medical treatment for their unvaccinated child from a pediatrician--particularly one who has seen the child since birth-- rather than being forced to seek treatment (and pay much higher rates ) at the ER?

[katelove]

Originally Posted by chickabiddy 

But we do not have the right to demand treatment from the doctor (or any other businessperson) of our choice, at our convenience, on our own terms.  We just don't.

I think we have the right to *refuse* treatment for any reason, at any time without penalty from the HCP.

I do agree that doctors and other HCPs are not obligated to *provide* a treatment which they do not feel is in the patient's best interest. For example, if I walk into a surgeon's rooms and request that s/he remove my appendix when there is no evidence of appendicitis and no other compelling reason such as I am about to spend a year in Antarctica or something. But refusing to provide a treatment is not the same thing as refusing to continue seeing a patient who has refused a particular recommendation.