Spark [Robert_Klitzman]_When_Doctors_Become_Patients(Boo | Page 30

Introduction 19 Name Brief Description Ronald Suburban Connecticut radiologist with AIDS Roxanne Gastroenterologist with abdominal cancer Sally Internist with cancer who brought her laptop to the ICU Scott Internist with an infected foot Simon Radiologist who refused to be audiotaped Steven Suburban endocrinologist with HIV Stuart Retired internist with HIV; now teaching Suzanne Psychiatrist with bipolar disorder Tim Dermatologist with leukemia Tina HIV-positive pulmonologist Tom Physician whose lover died of AIDS Walter Politically active internist with lymphoma Wilma Elderly physician with a severe GI infection medical colleagues and family members—many of whom were also health care professionals. I have organized thematically the experiences these interviewees dis- cussed. Many of the themes they raised are closely related; for instance, they encounter particular problems (e.g., depression) and also have trou- ble communicating about these problems with their physicians. Clearly, such distinctions are in some ways artificial—one can only with difficulty separate the form from the content of poor communication, but doing so allows for more precise analysis of each set of subtheme