Every sick hotel guest should contact his or her family
doctor before calling me. The doctor, being familiar with the patient, is more
likely to deal with the problem over the phone and prevent an expensive
housecall.
When I suggest this, almost everyone assures me that
their doctor is “unavailable,” especially if they’re calling after business hours.
I point out that, if so, their doctor is breaking the
law. Every state requires a doctor (or someone covering) to be available at all
times. Not being available is called “abandonment,” and it’s illegal. If you write
your state medical board, he’ll get into trouble (or at least they’ll contact
him; nowadays medical boards respond to complaints).
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