Posted on 08/22/2005 6:54:25 PM PDT by Ellesu
New Hampshire Doctor Outraged By Complaint
ROCHESTER, N.H. -- The New Hampshire attorney general is investigating a Rochester doctor because a patient complained that he bluntly told her she needed to lose weight.
Dr. Terry Bennett said that he's outraged by what he calls a baseless complaint. A patient was apparently insulted when Bennett told her that she was obese and could only get healthier by losing weight.
"It's an epidemic in the United States, and it's croaking us," Bennett said.
Bennett said that it's a lecture he gives to many of his overweight patients.
"It's your weight, ... and there's dozens of programs," Bennett said. "You don't have to come in here. You can join Jenny Craig. You can go see Weight Watchers."
Bennett said he tells obese patients that their weight is bad for their health and their love lives. But the lecture drove one patient to write a letter to the Board of Medicine, which has passed on the complaint to the Attorney General's Office.
"Did I sleep with somebody? Did I give somebody drugs? Was I careless? No. End of story," Bennett said. "That should have been the end of it."
Now, other overweight patients are coming to Bennett's defense.
"What really makes me angry is he told the truth," patient Mindy Haney said. "How can you punish somebody for that?"
Haney said that Bennett has helped her lose more than 150 pounds, but, at first, she didn't want to listen.
"I have been in this lady's shoes. I've been angry and left his practice. I mean, in-my-car-taking-off angry," Haney said. "But once you think about it, you're angry at yourself, not Dr. Bennett. He's the messenger. He's telling you what you already know."
Haney is so upset at the complaint that she has started a petition demanding that the attorney general be fired. So far, she's gathered 100 signatures.
Bennett said that the Attorney General's Office tried to get him to settle the matter by agreeing to attend a medical education course, which he refused.
"I'm sorry," Bennett said. "If she's watching, I'm devoutly sorry to have offended you. I didn't mean to offend you. I meant to tell you the truth. And that's what I tried to do."
The Board of Medicine would not comment on the case, but Vice President Kevin Costin said, "Physicians have to be professional with patients and remember everyone is an individual. You should not be inflammatory or degrading to anyone."
Bennett said that he thinks his apology should be enough.
OK, somebody's gotta say it; might as well be me.
"I want a second opinion"
"OK, you're ugly, too."
HAAHAAHAA!
Long time ago I went to a doctor, he dismissed my trouble instantly and all but kicked me in the @ss with his size 13 Oxfords on the way out the door.
The next doctor saw that I was sick, and it got better. But WOW. That guy was a jerk!
Bennett said that the Attorney General's Office tried to get him to settle the matter by agreeing to attend a medical education course, which he refused.
We must not offend!
Let me guess. If he HADN'T told her she was obese, and then she came down with a health condition based on her obesity she would have hung him out to dry for that too.
What a ridiculous story.
The doctor should sue the fat broad for this stupid lawsuit.
Why apologize for telling the truth?
Sorry to hear that, I'm sure some are real jerks, perhaps this guy was too, but he probably would not have been asked to go to an education class if a smoker had complained he told her to quit smoking.
She was so fat that she got on the scale and a card came out saying.. "One at a time."
"He said he tells obese women they most likely will outlive an obese spouse and will have a difficult time establishing a new relationship because studies show most males are completely negative to obese women."
Truth hurts.
Why apologize for telling the truth?
I doubt if the apology is for telling her the truth, it's for hurting the obscenely fat pigs feelings.
"Of course you're not fat, ma'am. The fact that you have to grease up just to get through the doorway just means that the builders need to make bigger doors! And don't let anyone tell you that scoffing down a dozen Krispy Kremes during your 15-minute commute is bad for you - they don't know what they're talking about! Do you feel better about yourself now?"
I had a girlfriend that was so fat her belly button made an echo.
You have a link for that? If he said that, then I have to agree he crossed over the line, from a medical position to a personal one. That isn't mentioned in the article posted here.
Diagnosis: fat bitch.
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