Wednesday, January 05, 2005

Things they should invent: personal medical priority record

There's an episode of MASH where Charles works really hard to save this
guy's legs, and is thereby unable to completely restore the nerves in his
hands. Then when the guy wakes up, they find out he's a concert pianist.

I think I'd rather have my hands saved than my legs if it came down to that
since my livelihood, major recreation, and a big chunk of my social life all
depend on my ability to type. However, a doctor would have no way of
knowing this. Therefore, they should come up with a way of having the
patient's priorities listed in their OHIP record. So if I were injured and
unconscious and admitted to the hospital, all they'd have to do is swipe my
health card or look my name up in the computer, and they could find out that
I'd rather have my hands saved than my legs, my right eye is more important
than my left eye, I'm allergic to erythromycin, I really would not mind at
all if I were left infertile, I'd prefer vegetarian drugs if at all possible
but it isn't a matter of religious conviction, I don't want to be given any
religious last rites at all, and I want to be an organ and tissue donor
despite any protest from my next-of-kin.

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