What To Do Or Say When A Doctor Examines Your Privates?

In My Humble Opinion
101

I am too, though a surprisingly large number of my patients don’t want a witness, and in the place I work, we do often lack staff to act as such. I do get verbal consent prior to this sort of exam with every patient, making sure they know they can refuse it, even though I recommend the exam.

I had male patient with genital complaints who actually refused to be examined by any male, insisting he must be examined by females only. He was told that was NOT an option. He was offered a witness (gender not specified) but refused that. He left my office and approached my lab tech, demanding she examine his genitals. He did get written up for that.

102

I’ve never been offered a witness, but my family practice is at a teaching clinic, where they ask for permission for a wall-mounted camera to be activated. If you say yes, they’ll slide down a shutter, but you never really know if the camera is operating. The camera could certainly stand in place as a witness, I guess. It’s supposedly to do quality review of the residents who do most of the office visits.

They emphasize the camera is covered by HIPAA rules and all recordings are deleted within 24 hours. Since it’s for educational purposes, I have no problem.