listening to my clients talk about obese patients - what should I say?

I'm an archtitect and do work with healthcare clients.  Today in my meeting we got on the topic of special accomodations required for obese patients.  The conversation was gernerally professional but it did start to get into should they get extra pay for "dealing" with "those" patients.  I liked it when one said someone was 350 lbs - crap I was over 400 once.   I don't think anyone there knows I was once one of "those people".   I kept my part professional and talked about what I could do as an architect to meet there needs but kept my mouth shut during the side bar stuff.   I kept wondering what I would say if they did get ugly.   Should I have said anything at all.

Just wondering if any other professionals ran into this and how they dealt with it?

Patrick

I commend you entirely for not saying anything,,,I cant say that I would have as strong.

To people like that it does not matter what you would have said. They already have developed their opinions of MO people. At least you have learned compassion through your own experience and WLS:)

Being a nurse, I run into this issue from time to time with other disciplines within the health care system. My current position requires me to work with administration and marketing personnel, many of whom have never faced obesity and the many complex challenges it presents. I keep my end of the discussion very professional, but try to interject information to help educate others about the realities of obesity. I'm not sure what else I can do to change the public's view on the subject short of hitting them over the head with a hammer everytime an ignorant coment falls from their lips.  

I dunno...I kinda like the hammer solution. (*grin*)

Agreed! lol Wouldn't that be hilarious if everyone went around whacking people over the head every time they made an ignorant comment? The image in my head has me cracking up right now! lmao...Thanks!

HA!!! If they only knew how much I hate the hypocrisy! So many out there who are so judgemental. A woman in my husband's office is super morbidly obese. She has not yet come to terms with the fact that her worsening multiple health problems might be mitigated by weight loss. Not knowing her all that well, I have not yet found a way to speak to her about my own WLS (when I had the surgery, I did not want everyone to know). A few months ago, while hospitalized for cellulitis, some idiot resident at Duke told her, and I quote, "if you stopped eating like a pig and tried to lose weight, you wouldn't be in this mess." Fortunately, she reported this to patient advocacy at the hospital and received a formal apology from both the resident and the cheif of medicine, but it make me want to throw up when my husband told me about it. Also fortunately for the resident (and most likely my career at UNC hospital), I don't work for Duke.

For now I am simply trying to find a way to speak to this woman candidly about my own weight loss journey. She is not ready to listen. Perhaps if we all pray for the right opportunity...

...anyway...the hammer theory works for me too!!!   

I think that I might say, "empathy, friends, empathy please" -- and leave out any personal comments.

Asking them to remain professional and empathetic to all of their patients is appropriate --- bringing your personal experience to it may not be (and might backfire at some level).

There may be legitimate concerns with lifting of heavier patients (just like airline baggage workers having to deal with overweight luggage) -- but those discussions should remain professional.

Glad you kept your dignity.

Your photos look amazing...by the way.  For me personally, I tell my story whenever an opportunity presents itself.  I know some will be unaffected and could care less, but I also know there may be someone who has a friend or family member who could benefit from WLS.  Our stories give hope.  You handled it professionally.  I loath prejudices, whatever the form, and would have probably opened my mouth.

I would LIKE to think I would have given them a cold-eyed stare, for just a moment longer than would have made them uncomfortable - and then said, as flatly as possible, but maintaining the evil-eye:

"Fortunately, this is a situation where the MORALLY AND ETHICALLY right thing to do for your patients suffering from the DISEASE of morbid obesity is also the FINANCIALLY right thing to do, insofar as it will prevent you from being sued under a variety of legal theories, including violations of the ADA, equal access to medical care, and tort claims if someone gets hurt because of inadequate facilities."

But in reality, I think I would have gone off on them.