Chaperones for Physical Exams? Doctors and Patients Weigh In (skin, dermatologist, breasts)
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News of physicians accused or convicted of sexually inappropriate behavior toward patients during medical exams has been frequent recently. And patient advocates have brought up the fact that many patients are uncomfortable during sensitive exams.
As a result, more doctors and medical organizations are using chaperones to protect the patient and the physician.
For some institutions, the movement has been toward mandating chaperones. Chaperones can be present for any examination of what are often referred to as sensitive areas, such as breasts, genitalia, and the perianal area. For example, Yale University Health requires patients to use a medical staff member as a chaperone for all sensitive exams except in emergency situations. UCLA Health, on the other hand, allows any adult or child aged 12 years or older to decline a chaperone if they wish to do so. Michigan Medicine provides a chaperone on request, although a patient can opt out.
This is an extremely interesting article
I've only had a chaperone once. My urologist, a female, asked if I minded if her new PA could stay in the exam room for training. I didn't mind. (I've been through so many prostate procedures with 2-3 nurses in the room so what the hell. I don't have anything that they haven't seen before)
I'm comfortable enough with all of my docs that I would never ask for a chaperone. But, if the doc asked, I'd never refuse
I've only had a chaperone once. My urologist, a female, asked if I minded if her new PA could stay in the exam room for training.
I would call that an observer, not a chaperone.
I once had a collapsed lung, and the surgeon ask if I would be okay with observers, because EMTs would benefit from seeing how the drain was installed. I said sure, picturing a couple of people. Found out later that 17 people watched and saw my naked breast. I would not describe them as chaperones.
I have concierge health care and they always make a chaperon available for "intimate" exams/procedure if requested. They put you in contact with a private service that provides the trained monitors.
I have concierge health care and they always make a chaperon available for "intimate" exams/procedure if requested. They put you in contact with a private service that provides the trained monitors.
If you want someone in the room, the practice should provide it!
Some facilities require an observer, or other employee of the same sex as the patient, be in the room if a doctor of the opposite sex is doing an exam. It's to protect both the patient and the doctor. I felt pretty uncomfortable with my last dermatologist, who I'd just met. He had a weird vibe to him that I can't even explain, like he was secretly just the janitor and not a doctor. I had to strip (full-body skin exam, which I needed), but no one else was in the room when he came in to do the exam. Even though he was 100% professional, his touches were not sexual at all, it still just "felt" awkward. I would've been more comfortable if his female assistant had been present, but it wasn't offered as an option and I didn't think to ask at the time.
My new dermatologist and the PA are both male, and they always have a female assistant or nurse in the room when they're with me.
Some facilities require an observer, or other employee of the same sex as the patient, be in the room if a doctor of the opposite sex is doing an exam. It's to protect both the patient and the doctor. I felt pretty uncomfortable with my last dermatologist, who I'd just met. He had a weird vibe to him that I can't even explain, like he was secretly just the janitor and not a doctor. I had to strip (full-body skin exam, which I needed), but no one else was in the room when he came in to do the exam. Even though he was 100% professional, his touches were not sexual at all, it still just "felt" awkward. I would've been more comfortable if his female assistant had been present, but it wasn't offered as an option and I didn't think to ask at the time.
My new dermatologist and the PA are both male, and they always have a female assistant or nurse in the room when they're with me.
I wish I had someone in the room when my GP said "that's just a cherry angioma" a year before he said "I think that's probably just a cherry angioma"...and then added "but I can't be sure." And then I found out it takes 6 months to schedule with a dermatologist.
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