What is Digg?200 Comments
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -9/+113Maybe I missed something when I read the article, but the doctor who turned the woman away was a Palestinian practicing in Sweden.
- NinjAlt, on 10/12/2007, -6/+90I'm pretty sure this has little to do with the swedish and more to do with some ***** doctor. Overblowing things to blame it on the swedish doesnt help any situation. From what I see the nurses and the manager were both very helpful in instructing her where to go to complain.
- sfacets, on 10/12/2007, -3/+59It is a sad day for professional ethics when a doctor turns away a patient.
- Sirocco, on 10/12/2007, -3/+43Actually, the worst scum on the planet would be a doctor refusing to treat a patient. It's a close race with corrupt police and lawyers, but in the end he comes out on top.
- nagumi, on 10/12/2007, -5/+38VeryAngryJim: You may or may not remember that day in history class in which the teacher talked about how Allied red cross medics treated Nazi soldiers injured, in battle, while trying to kill their comrades. The prisoners, or at least the huge majority of them, were treated well and received the best medical care available. Reflect on that.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -4/+36Did you even read the article? It was a single doctor. The other swedes were very nice about the whole thing.
- Crispin, on 10/12/2007, -12/+42Jim, yes we would be absolutely offended. I have no idea why you'd say such a thing. Especially when most Americans believed we were going to Afghanistan to help get rid of the Taliban menace we helped create.
- AmishRefugee, on 10/12/2007, -3/+32My dad's a doctor and if I remember correctly, a doctor may refuse to treat a patient in a non-life-threatening situation. Still kinda strange though...
Oh and like others said, he wasn't Swedish, he was Palestinian. - gotamd, on 10/12/2007, -5/+32Don't be an American... Great advice (sarcasm). However, it's a lot easier to choose not to be an *****.
- mark_in_bc, on 10/12/2007, -4/+31The man is not fit to be called doctor. I don't care what his nationality is, he should be fired and not allowed to practice medicine.
- Rikkochet, on 10/12/2007, -2/+23I thought the whole Hippocratic oath thing meant that doctors were above petty nationalistic squabbles and had found a higher calling. I guess the only sane response to my naivete is LOL. Sigh.
- mrfreeziexp, on 10/12/2007, -20/+40Uh oh, we better get really freaked out about this and make a big deal about it! even though it's nothing.
- scilec, on 10/12/2007, -1/+17"I'm glad ot see a white american turned down based upon something they had no control over. Now that lady knows how it feels, and I have no sympathy for her.
Calling you an idiot would be way too charitable. - eurofooty, on 10/12/2007, -7/+23BTW, I live in Sweden and if you Yankee Doodles can forgive us for this minor incident we promise to keep PirateBay.org running for you - or atleast the porn section. Kram!
- maiku00, on 10/12/2007, -1/+16I wouldnt turn down an Iraqi, Iranian, North Korean, Afghani, or ~anyone~ based souly upon their nationality. This doctor is pretty sad when he can't distinguish governments from their people.
- the_d, on 10/12/2007, -5/+20@DeezNutz420
Leave? Who said he was here in the first place? - directedition, on 10/12/2007, -2/+17I'm pretty sure that the reasons for refusal can't be for ethnic reasons.
I was a bit releaved to learn he was Palestinian. Palestine has a history of not being happy with Americans, but the Swedes are nice people, never met a rude Swede. - dosterm, on 10/12/2007, -0/+14I lived in Sweden for 6 months, having never lived anywhere but southern Illinois before. All this discussion of hatred of Americans is off-base, as well as these assertions that Swedish people are, generally, anything but nice, normal people. Swedes are just like everybody else... they are proud of their country, but not ridiculously so. In their case, they have a unique social system that blends some of the best parts of socialism and democracy, and they like to talk about it. Rightfully so, because it's a fascinating study in a liberal society that seems to work. But despite their pride, no one I knew blamed me for being from America... even when Bush was re-elected. Some people asked questions about it, because it was genuinely perplexing, but I experienced no discrimination or hatred. If anything, people liked me just because of my "accent". It's not all politics, sensitive as we seem to be right now about things.
Bottom line, there are ***** in any country. This doctor was just acting out of ignorance. More often you find sensible, rational, pleasant and inviting people that understand the world in shades of gray rather than this divisive black and white that just doesn't really exist. - oriondr, on 10/12/2007, -4/+17"the worldwide center of human rights"? the WHO is based in Switzerland, the Nobel Peace Prize is based in Norway, how is Sweden the center of human rights?
- CBTF, on 10/12/2007, -6/+19"we are the greatest country in the world and if you dont like it so much then feel free to LEAVE."
Okay wait. By who's standards? Yours? I have respect for America (although it's neo-conism is starting to scare me quite a bit), but what exactly makes it "better" than other democracies like Australia, Canada, Germany, etc? Strength does not equal greatness. It just equals strength. - katyggls, on 10/12/2007, -3/+16@ BassCadet
I'm a little tired of the whole "Americans don't travel overseas" crap. I for one would love the opportunity to experience international travel (I have been to Canada). But let me ask, are you paying?
Let me explain a few things about the average American. For one, unlike most Europeans, we don't get 6-8 weeks of paid vacation every year. The average American gets 2 weeks paid vacation. Some people in better jobs get a month. For another, I suppose international jet setting is easy peasy when your country and all the ones around it are the size of our states, you can travel cheaply by car, rail, and plane. A roundtrip flight from Chicago to Paris, France is roughly between $600-$700. That's a significant chunk of change for a working American, and if you were to travel with an entire family overseas, that's a pretty pricey proposition. And of course that's just getting there. We'd still have to pay for lodging, food, transportation, recreation, etc. For another, not to brag (something Europeans never do, I'm sure), but the U.S. has lots of spectacular stuff to do and see. Why would we lay down a month's income to vacation overseas when we can have a very satisfying getaway in our own country for half the price? - anphanax, on 10/12/2007, -1/+13"lesser opinions of America"
That's nice except they're a doctor, and they should do their damn job. What ever happened to serving someone regardless of their race, religion, or nationality? The world doesn't need bigoted doctors. - CBTF, on 10/12/2007, -4/+16This is why Americans are told to pretend they are Canadians when travelling.
- GTPilot, on 10/12/2007, -8/+20@VeryAngryJim
yes. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -3/+14No, he'll look at your bank balance - then he'll refuse to treat you...
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11US Federal Law says that emergency rooms has to provide a medical screening exam at minimum in an emergent situation.
A physician with a responsibility to a patient, who does not provide care or transfer care to another physician is called 'abandonment'. - Brigs44444, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11From the Hippocratic oath-- "I will apply dietetic measures for the benefit of the sick according to my ability and judgment; I will keep them from harm and injustice. " apparently not in this case.
- subscribtion, on 10/12/2007, -8/+18I always find it ironic that someone using a computer and the Internet somehow manages to come to the conclusion that Americans are stupid. However, thanks to powered flight, you can also fly here and say it to my face.
- earthtoandy, on 10/12/2007, -2/+11America and americans may be very worthy of criticism but politics have no place in healthcare. Just as money and other factors should not come to issue. Everyone deserves the right to be treated to the best of medical sciences ability
- earthtoandy, on 10/12/2007, -3/+11I pratice my "eh's" and "aboot's" on the plane. In fact I chant them and rock back and forth
- Hellmark, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9This is one thing that upsets me. In my experience, people typically hold the actions of the US government against its citizens, when in many cases the majority of the American public disagrees with it as well. We get a choice of basically two people, often neither being that spectacular, and hope they act in a certain way based on what they've told us. What often ends up happening is the public gets lied to, and the politicians do what ever the hell they want even if the public hates it. Yet after all that, others act as if we directly put things in place and whole heartedly agree with it. Just is insane.
- icepick314, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7but as a doctor, he has an ethical responsibility to treat a person in need....
hell....as a human being, you SHOULD help ANYONE who is in need of help...don't matter what religion, skin color, nationality, age, and sex that person is....
you're just an ***** of a person if you don't stop and help someone in need.... - texxmexx, on 10/12/2007, -4/+11Whoa there are people without DeezNutz420 not blocked? It was bad enough reading the bile he threw up everywhere... I have him blocked and i still can't avoid him. JUST BLOCK HIM YOU FOOLS.
- gotamd, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8Doctors don't have to take the Hippocratic Oath. That's just FYI. I still think this is disturbing and wrong though.
- Rikkochet, on 10/12/2007, -5/+12@Valence:
Amazing. You just described Swedes outside of Sweden!
And Americans outside of the USA!
And Italians outside of Italy!
And French outside of France!
Ya know why? Because the people who travel with an IQ > 100 DON'T identify their nation of origin and tout its greatness unless prompted.
Your bad experience with four Swedish kids is just that - a single experience. Now try to picture how many Swedes you've come across in daily life that you had no idea weren't from across the pond... Probably lots! - TroubleInMind, on 10/12/2007, -5/+11You are saying that no american doctor has ever refused to treat a patient because of their race or national origin. That's just silly. Fifty years ago, black people were required by law to use different bathrooms here, in the land of equality. Those would be black AMERICANS, mang. Citizens of this country.
Ask the Japanese americans who were rounded up and kept in prison camps HERE, IN AMERICA, during WW II how they felt when they got released at the end of the war, found their homes and businesses had all been stolen by whitey, and when they complained they didn't even get a "sorry, dude" from the crackers. Citizens of this country.
How quick are we to judge, the generation that thought it was okay to make laws establishing INEQUALITY are still alive.
Let the pressure out of your head, dude, before it asplode. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6That was a very unprofessional decision by the Doctor. I wouldn't be surprised if there are some consequences to his actions. I am sure that the level of ethics expected to be maintained by Doctors in Sweden is comparable to what it is here. It's amazing that some one so immature could be a doctor.
- NWOUpdate, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7http://www.thelocal.se/discuss/viewtopic.php?t=7140 is the discussion forum on the news outlet.
It makes for some interesting reading. - AhmedOmran, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Have you read the story? He's from Palestine, not Pakistan
- icepick314, on 10/12/2007, -4/+10i agree that United States hasn't been popular with rest of the world due to war on terrorism...
but why is nationality have to do with treatment of another human being?
that doctor should be stripped of his license and be out of work for turning away a sick person who was in need of help... - Gerz1219, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8I have a feeling this article was only submitted to reflect some kind of deep-rooted problems in the Swedish nationalized health care system, or to point out the hypocrisy of supposedly liberal Swedes. I've travelled around Sweden and they're generally very nice to Americans, always happy to speak English. I've heard that you pay through the ass for medical treatment if you're not a Swedish citizen, although the refunded fee in this case was only about $120.
A Palestinian man living in Sweden probably has a very different outlook on things than a Palestinian man living in New York. For some very good reasons, European Muslims are not the biggest fans of America. As a doctor, he should be committed to healing people regardless of ideological differences, and I'm sure that the Swedish government's medical bureaucracy will damage his livelihood as punishment. - DirtyWorker, on 10/12/2007, -5/+10Just as many people that want to travel to the US right about now.
- eurofooty, on 10/12/2007, -5/+10Oh, and we won't take back all our SAABs and Volvo's and close our IKEA stores. A deal?
- xinit, on 10/12/2007, -8/+13@Jun168
"You will never see an American doctor refuse to treat someone because of the patien'ts race or nationality. This man is disgrace to the medical profession and should not be allowed to practice."
Never see this in America? ... unless the patient is gay, or seeking a legal abortion, or maybe they're black, Jewish, Muslim, or look like they might not have insurance. Pull your head out. - gotamd, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Grolsch: No, the certainly are not required to take the oath. Perhaps certain medical schools do, but many and perhaps most do not. The actual (unedited) oath has many things in it which are sexist and not generally accepted either, so I can see why it is not required.
- CBTF, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8Ikea is great. I love my Åbëbsdafsdaffjaddsfa bookshelf and desk.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Probably did her a favor by giving her the expensive results for free and then refusing to treat her. No treatment=no payment.
- burningbush, on 10/12/2007, -9/+13It's a crime that the America people are letting the wealthy elite use the American government and army as there own personal international police force.
- TroubleInMind, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6A doctor refused to treat Peter Griffin once. Because he was Peter Griffin.
- eurofooty, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6@CBTF
You have a Åbëbsdafsdaffjaddsfa bookshelf as well? A home in Sweden is not a home unless it has a Åbëbsdafsdaffjaddsfa bookshelf! -
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