I just got caught in a lie! OOPS!!!

Well, our office is currently in a closet. To get to it, you have to walk through the X-ray waiting area. So, as I entered the lobby, a patient in the waiting room cornered me.

"Are you X-ray?" he asked.

"No," I replied.

"Well, I’ve been waiting longer than everyone else here, and I still haven’t been called. I have a doctor’s appointment soon."

Gulp. What was I supposed to say? I wanted to ignore him, slip into the RT Cave, and take a break. But he had me cornered, and I felt pressure to respond.

"Um, I’ll go check," I said.

So I left the lobby… and went straight to the bathroom. Took my time. Putzed around the hall afterward, hoping he’d be gone when I came back.

No such luck. He was still there.

"Well? Are they coming?" he asked.

"Uh, your name is on the list. They should be out shortly."

He gave me a skeptical look. "I didn’t even tell you my name. How could you know it was on the list?"

Doh! Can’t win them all. Just another reason why we need to move the RT Cave out of the lobby—away from patients.

Pneumonitis: Because Sometimes You Need a Change from "Pneumonia"

 Ah, pneumonitis—pneumonia’s less famous, less reimbursable cousin. If you’re a doctor and you find yourself scribbling pneumonia on every chart like it’s your go-to answer on a multiple-choice test, let me introduce you to its underappreciated sibling: pneumonitis.

Now, what exactly is pneumonitis? Well, in medical terms, it’s lung inflammation that isn’t caused by an infection. In practical terms, it’s what you write when you want to shake things up a little but don’t want anyone thinking you’re just padding your pneumonia numbers for reimbursement. Because let’s be honest—pneumonia sounds dramatic, urgent, and just a tad more billable. Pneumonitis? Not so much.

But hey, sometimes you’ve got to keep ‘em guessing. Maybe the patient doesn’t have a full-blown pneumonia but still has some mysterious lung irritation. Pneumonitis. Maybe it’s from inhaling some questionable fumes. Pneumonitis. Maybe you just don’t feel like writing pneumonia again. Boom. Pneumonitis.

Sure, insurance companies might not throw as much money at it, but at least it keeps things interesting. And who knows? Maybe one day, pneumonitis will get the respect (and reimbursement) it deserves.

Until then, choose wisely.

Pneumonitis: Because Sometimes You Need a Change from "Pneumonia"

Ah, pneumonitis—pneumonia’s less famous, less reimbursable cousin. If you’re a doctor and you find yourself scribbling pneumonia on every chart like it’s your go-to answer on a multiple-choice test, let me introduce you to its underappreciated sibling: pneumonitis.

Now, what exactly is pneumonitis? Well, in medical terms, it’s lung inflammation that isn’t caused by an infection. In practical terms, it’s what you write when you want to shake things up a little but don’t want anyone thinking you’re just padding your pneumonia numbers for reimbursement. Because let’s be honest—pneumonia sounds dramatic, urgent, and just a tad more billable. Pneumonitis? Not so much.

But hey, sometimes you’ve got to keep ‘em guessing. Maybe the patient doesn’t have a full-blown pneumonia but still has some mysterious lung irritation. Pneumonitis. Maybe it’s from inhaling some questionable fumes. Pneumonitis. Maybe you just don’t feel like writing pneumonia again. Boom. Pneumonitis.

Sure, insurance companies might not throw as much money at it, but at least it keeps things interesting. And who knows? Maybe one day, pneumonitis will get the respect (and reimbursement) it deserves.

Until then, choose wisely.