The worst part is teaching people that their experience might not reflect the quality of care. People want to eat fast food (immediate gratification) but not ne

The worst part is teaching people that their experience might not reflect the quality of care. People want to eat fast food (immediate gratification) but not necessarily good for them in the long term, in particular if that's all the ear. Similarly, seeing an EM physician for "what ails you" might check the "got seen in under 24 hours box," but I try to be very up front with my patients that "unless you have a heart attack, a stroke, a car accident, have cut off a body part, etc. you might be getting second or third-rate care from me." I usually try to phrase it as "I didn't get any training in non-emergency problems, and I think you deserve to see a doctor which the right expertise, so I think waiting for that scheduled appointment is worth it, even if it takes a while." It is hard to help people understand that no matter how bad the alternative is, that doesn't make me any better at dealing with non-emergency conditions.