To Patricia Drazin and others,
I have been on both sides of the physician-patient-parent fences. IMHO most
patients can be empowered by asking one word, "Why?"
For almost any statement a health care provider gives you the response "Why"
can serve as the seed to have them explain more if they haven't.

For example;   DR; "Your child needs this surgery(or test or antibiotic or
consultation)."
PATIENT/PARENT, "Dr. can you tell me:  1.  Why is this needed?
                                                             2.  What are my
options?
                                                             3.  What do you
plan to do if this doesn't work or give you the answer?"
If the doctor doesn't like the questions, s/he should be reminded that
'doctor' comes for the Latin 'docere' which means 'to teach'.  Not ever
patient wants to be taught everything.  Sometimes patients when I give
patients options they reply,"Doc, do what you think is best."  On the other
hand,I have had patients question my reccomendations for treatment.  As I am
fond of telling them, "This is America and you have the right to chose to
decide for yourself.  (Even in HMO's there is a choice, but most people don't
consider cash out of pocket as a choice.)  I sometimes continue, "You are
paying me for my best professional reccomendation, sometimes there are other
options that I can feel comfortable with (a cheaper antibiotic, watching
instead of doing more tests right away.)  Sometimes there is not another one.
 Occasionally if somebody choses not to follow my advice, for legal reasons I
have them sign a refusal statement.  Two this past year were an elderly man
with dehydration I wanted to admit for IV fluids and a young man with a skin
lesion supcious for melanoma who refused biopsy.  I really think that the
previous post that suggested that the norm for feeding infants was BF and
anything else should have a written consent will be the way that infant
feeding policies should go.  I recall one hospital were I worked that we made
the parents sign a consent/statement that they DIDNOT want their boy baby
circumcised.

If we had to have consents for this it is not unreasonable to get a consent
to put a rubber nipple in the babies mouth.

********************************************************************
*  Jon Ahrendsen, M.D. FAAFP, LLLI Medical Associate   *
*  215 13th Ave SW                                                        *
*  Clarion, Iowa 50525  USA                                            *
*  515-532-2836, FAX 532-2523, Email [log in to unmask]   *
********************************************************************