Chapter II: Referring a Patient

Exercise 1 A. feverish
Complete the sentences by crossing the B. allergic
correct answer. C. genetic
1. You shouldn't drive because this medicine
might make you feel ___________ Exercise 2
A. life-threatened Circle the word or expression most
B. light-headed appropriate to use with patients.
C. malignant Compare your answers with those of a
partner.
2. The children's __________ is located on the 1. A. excise the growth
fourth floor of the hospital. B. cut the growth out
A. vein C. remove the growth
B. transplant
C. ward 2. A. put you to sleep
B. anesthetize you
3. Discontinue using this cream immediately C. put you out
if it makes you feel___________
A. itchy 3. A. analgesic
B. allergy B. pain killer
C. sprain C. pain reliever

4. Your blood count is abnormal, so you may 4. A. jab

have __________ B. injection
A. amnesia C. shot
B. anemia
C. dementia 5. A. investigate
B. take a look at
5. The doctor wrote me a _______ for a new C. assess
type of pain reliever.
A. prescription 6. A. swelling
B. patient B. lump
C. radiation C. tumor

6. __________from this medication include 7. A. cachexic

nausea and depression. B. underweight
A. Side effects C. skinny
B. Stresses
C. Spasms 8. A. intestinal hemorrhage
B. bleeding in your abdomen
7. The _______ suggests that your wife is C. blood loss from your intestines
seventeen weeks pregnant.
A. sore 9. A. hypertensive medication
B. therapy B. some pills to lower your blood pressure
C. ultrasound C. little yellow pills

8. The patient has asked for some _______ 10.A. insert a catheter
while her family is visiting. B. put in a tube
A. poison C. introduce a catheter
B. privacy
C. scrub up 11.A. to produce a stools
B. to defecate
9. The physician will be monitoring your C. to move your bowels.
_______ to make sure it isn't cancerous.
A. pharmacist 12.A. to go to the bathroom
B. laboratory B. to urinate
C. growth C. to take a pee

10. You couldn’t have inherited the disease

because it is not_________
Exercise 3
Match these lay terms with the medical terms.
Lay Terms Medical terms
1. keep an eye on him ( A. fractures
F )
2. knocked out ( C ) B. reposition
3. broken bones ( A ) C. unconscious
4. neck collar ( D ) D. cervical brace
5. dislocated jaw ( E ) E. dislocated mandible
6. put back in place ( B ) F. place him under
observation

Exercise 4
Read the telephone conversation between Robert and Dr. Plantz, the dental
intern. Number the lines in the correct order.
3 Robert: Hello, is that Doctor Plantz?
2 Dr. Plantz: Morning, Robert. What can I do for you?
5 Robert: We have a patient here with head injuries and a possible mandibular
fracture. Could you come down and have a look?
1 Robert: Good morning, Doctor. This Robert Mitchell from Emergency.
8 Robert: About fifteen minutes. Sure. Bye.
6 Dr. Plantz: But, I’m just finishing a ward round. Is the patient stabilized?
4 Dr. Plantz: Speaking.
7 Dr. Plantz: No, stabilized! I mean, can you wait about a quarter of an hour?

Exercise 5
Nurse It’s Mr. Slenkovich, Wayne’s father, isn’t it?
Mr. Slankovich That’s right. What happened to Wayne? Is he all right?
Nurse He’ll be fine, Mr. Slenkovich. Biut first things first. It seems that Wayne
(1)___finished____(finish) work at 8 o’clock in the evening and
(2)_____left_______ (just leave) the store when two men
(3)______attacked______(attack) him.
Mr. Slankovich (4)_____Went______ (already go) to the bank with the money from the store?
Nurse I am not really sure. Anyway, some people (5)____saw____ (see) the assault and
called an ambulance. The paramedics checked Wayne over, put on a neck brace,
and brought him in.
Mr. Slankovich Did they get the guys who attacked him?
Nurse I don’t know, but the police (6)____spoke____ (already speak) to Wayne. Dr. Tan
examined him when he arrived and sent him to have a scan. He
(7)______had_____(have) a dislocated jaw, which we put back in place, but there
don’t seem to be any broken bones. Anyway, we (8)_____decided_____(decide) to
keep him in for the night.
Mr. Slankovich Why? If he’s OK, why can’t he come home?
Nurse Well, he (9)______knocked out_____ (knock out) for about ten minutes after the
attack and the doctor thinks it best to keep an eye on him.
Mr. Slankovich Can I see him?
Nurse Just for a minute. He (10)____needs____(need) to rest.

Exercise 6
Complete the referral letter below with you own words according to the supporting information in the letter
and rewrite it.
Sample of a Physician Referral Letter

[Date]

Re: [Patient’s Name] Letter of Medical Necessity

Dear Dr. [Bariatric Surgeon’s Name],

I am referring [patient’s name] for evaluation and consideration for a weight management surgical procedure. (S)He
currently weighs [# of lbs] pounds and is [# of in.] inches tall. Her/His BMI is [BMI #].
I have been [patient’s name]’s primary care physician for the past [#of yrs] years.
I have supervised several of her/his weight control diets and programs. None of these have resulted in any
sustained weight loss. As a result of this persistent morbid obesity, her/his co-morbid conditions are becoming more
difficult to manage. These co-morbid conditions are as follows:

Duration Medication
1. Hypertension 3 years Norvasc/Tenormin
2. Diabetes Mellitus 5 years Glucophage
3. Obesity Related Depression 3 years Prozac

Losing weight will certainly make these conditions easier to manage. Since non-surgical programs have failed to
provide any long-term benefits for the patient, I feel surgery is her/his only option.
I hope you will find [patient’s name] a suitable candidate for the surgical weight reduction program. It will provide a
tool to assist her/him in losing weight, as well as maintain that weight loss. I anticipate that this will provide her/him
with a significantly improved quality of life.

Sincerely,
[Physician signature]
Dr. [Physician’s Name]

Answer:

3rd November 2019

Re: Letter of Necessary Medical Attention for patient Azran Azmi

Dear Dr.

I am referring to the patient named Azran Azmi for assessment and recommend a weight management surgery. His
current weight is 280 lbs and 6 ft 4 in in height. Hence, his current BMI is extremely high which is 34.1. I have been
taking care a couple of Azran’s dietary and exercises. After deep consideration, I think surgery is his only choice.
However, none of them works as planned. This leaves Azran at critically obese, as his co-occurring diseases are
becoming worse. The said diseases conditions are as stated below:

Duration Medication
1. Hypertension 3 years Norvasc/Tenormin
2. Diabetes Mellitus 5 years Glucophage
3. Obesity Related Depression 3 years Prozac

Putting of some weight, in no doubts, will make the diseases more manageable. As my non-surgical programs did
not return with positive results long-term, I thought thoroughly that surgery is the only way.
I hope you will acknowledge if Azran Azmi is an appropriate patient to undergo the surgical weight reduction
program. Surgical apparatus will be supplied to help him reduce his weight, and also preserve that weight
reduction. I foresee that this provide him with an improved quality of life.

Sincerely,