Patient-blaming Stigma

[Littel_Urchin 24]

As you know, the pre-op process can be exhausting with so many appointments. In the country where I live, companies require us to produce medical certificates (MC) if you want to use your medical leave. Recently I had my visits to the dietitian and psychologist and since they are not doctors, they couldn't issue medical certificates. Instead, they gave me Excuse Chits with time stamps on it.

I've done this before (giving my company Excuse Chit in lieu of MC). At the time it was a visit to the physiotherapist. As I'd just broke my thumb around the same time, I think my company assumed my visit was related to the broken thumb and they gave me no issues about it.

This time around, however, my admin interrogated me as to why I couldn't produce any MC. They asked me what the purpose of my doc visits was (in front of everyone) to determine if I could claim medical leave. I may be overreacting, but I suspect that seeing the word 'dietitian' on the chit made them think that my visit was for weight loss and thus cannot be classified as medical need.

I hate that wanting to lose weight (especially when I'm clearly obese) is still considered an elective and somewhat for-vanity, instead of life-saving, must-do action. I think there's this mentality that obese people brought it upon themselves and that they should attempt to lose weight in their own time. Sigh.

[Sosewsue61 3,185]

How horrid a system! Can't your PCP or a physician in the dietician office provide this certificate for this? That's crazy nonsense. Don't you have privacy laws that prevent employers from publicly sharing information at work?

Edited February 22, 2018 by Sosewsue61

[Creekimp13 5,840]

Yikes. What country are you in, Urchin? Sure sorry for your treatment.

[Littel_Urchin 24]

2 hours ago, Sosewsue61 said:

How horrid a system! Can't your PCP or a physician in the dietician office provide this certificate for this? That's crazy nonsense. Don't you have privacy laws that prevent employers from publicly sharing information at work?

I have no idea about privacy laws and such here, guess I should look into it now. My understanding is, only doctors could issue MC and if I’m not seeing any doctor that day, then no MC for me. So from now on I have to schedule my appointments in such a way that I’ll also be seeing a doctor on the day I’m seeing those non-doctor specialists.

35 minutes ago, Creekimp13 said:

Yikes. What country are you in, Urchin? Sure sorry for your treatment.

If you must know, Singapore.

It depends on the company, though. So happens that I’ve got the shitty kind.

[frust8 963]

@ little urchin how are things going with you? Miss hearing from you.

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