Failure to adhere to these and other evidence-based rules could lead to fines, imprisonment, or to patients losing their entitlement to high quality emergency medical care. These “science-based” rules apply to vulnerable patients of all diversities: those who are transgender, those with a fetus, and those with severe acute illness are no exception.
“My temperature is normally low, so 98.6 is a fever for me
“I don’t have chest pain, it’s just a [pressure/tightness/heaviness]”
“My doctor usually gives me an antibiotic to treat [viral disease]”
“I’m spitting up blood”
“I have a high pain tolerance”
“I have multiple complaints”
“It’s in my chart”
“I know my body”
“I must be allergic to [medication] because my [close relative] is allergic”
“I need that medication that starts with a D”
“A good while”
“The flu shot gave me the flu”
“End-stage fibromyalgia”
“My doctor sent me to the ED for [non-indicated test]”
“My kid doesn’t usually complain, so I know he/she’s sick”
“I don’t like doctors”
“I don’t like nurses”
“I don’t like hospitals”
“I don’t like needles”
“I don’t believe in taking medicine”
“I’m just not myself”
“They didn’t do nothing for me”
