Mostly, these callers are wrong, but now and then I
hear from a guest undergoing legitimate treatment – usually for infertility –
who needs a regular injection. They have the vial in their possession.
Invariably, they told their doctor that they must
leave town, and the doctor messed up. He didn’t teach them how to self-inject
or (if they recoiled at this) warn that finding someone to give an injection in
a strange city guarantees frustration, wasted time, and massive expense.
Hotel doctors are in it for the money. Most guests
are not terribly sick, and delivering an injection is only a little easier than
the usual visit, so there’s no great reason to give a discount.
A walk-in clinic is less convenient and cheaper but
probably futile. The doctor (a G.P. like me) is likely to examine the vial of
medicine and say to himself:
1. This is a medicine I don’t
prescribe.
2. I’m supposed to give it on
the patient’s say-so.
3. If she sues me, (1) and (2)
will not help my defense.
If you think a letter from your doctor will change
his mind, read my blog post “A Letter from His Doctor.” (April 20, 2016).
Nurses earn less than doctors, but nurses do not
give medicine without a doctor’s order. A guest must convince a doctor to order
the shot (good luck with that). Then a nursing service will send one of its
nurses to give the injection. This will cost more than a hotel doctor’s visit.
If the medicine seems reasonable and being a nice
fellow, I give injections free if the guest comes to my house. Don’t depend
on that anywhere else.
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