Is it okay to stalk your doctor on Facebook
Google! Facebook! Instagram! Snapchat! Twitter! Pinterest! Etc!!!!
There are so many places that you can find out information about someone. If you've never done it, Google yourself and see what's there. I'm at the bottom of Page 1. I'd be higher except there's a basketball coach with the same name...damn him.
Sometimes this snooping comes in handy. You meet a prospective date and you want to find out about him/her in advance. Stick their name in a Google search box and get some good 411. Hey...it's really a matter a safety. You really don't want to be dating Ted Bundy or even Al Bundy. I'm sure hoping that my next date won't be Bonnie Parker, although the Faye Dunaway version of Bonnie was really hot and robbing a bank on a first date would definitely be exciting and dangerous.
But sometimes there's a very good reason for doing this. Let's pretend you have a new doctor and you want to find out information about them. Hell, why pretend? Here's my example. In the last couple of months I've had a couple of procedures and a bunch of new doctors. There were two new doctors at my primary care office, a Gastroenterology, an ER doctor and two surgeons. Phew...I know it sounds like a lot but it can happen to anyone and isn't all that unusual.
That's six doctors doing personal and intrusive procedures and the only thing I know about them is that they were referred to me by my insurance company and the primary physician's office. I don't know about you but I'm not all that comfortable with that.
When I got my first referral, I went on line and did a little Googling and found some Yelp reviews. How convenient. I could find a restaurant in her area, then go have a colonoscopy and have a little bite to eat afterwards. Seriously, the reviews were mostly good with a couple so-so ones mixed in. Hmmm....I'm okay with this doctor but I could use a little more information. I wondered if she had a Facebook page? Yep...uh huh...I mean almost everyone has a FB page these days. I didn't get any medical stuff but I did meet her niece and a cute dog.
Hmmm...so if it worked with doctor #1 why not try the other doctors? Yep...uh huh...they all had Facebook pages and some even had Twitter accounts. I saw a couple of weddings, a new baby and noticed a few European vacations. Does any of that make me feel better about their medical skills? Not really but I am more comfortable with them as human beings, which is also important.
So where is the line on this stuff? Did I cross it? I'm not really sure. I know sending them a friend's request is way past the line.
I think the rule would be if it feels creepy, then it is creepy.
Talking about procedures, here are some things you shouldn't do after having surgery.
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