Transcript: Monica Mayer, M.D.

Communication between physician and patient as a productive means to successful treatment

[Mayer:]: I had a 42-year-old male, morbidly obese, on dialysis, dialysis-dependent. He had a very severe decubitus ulcer, and he was instructed by an IHS physician who was, I believe, Czechoslovakian, a foreigner, to go to the hospital and that they were going to cut his fingers off. Gave him some x-rays, and just told him to go, and a piece of paper. So he drives to the hospital and, yes, of course, they admit him. Two days later, he got up and walked out, and did what we call “AMA,” against medical advice, left.