Middleman

Sat, 06 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Besides employers placing ER doctors in the middle of decisions about a patient’s return to work, we also get caught between divorced parents and between parents and their children. This includes parents with minor children as well as parents of adult children. I can tell you that no ER doctor wants to be in the middle of these situations.

In high-conflict situations, it’s tempting to want someone else to solve the problem for you. In high-conflict divorce cases, this often involves one parent bringing the child to the ER for a very minor complaint. The story typically begins with, “Well, they just came back from their dad’s…” or “Mom had them for the weekend…” When I hear that, I know where this is going. The child usually has a minor issue, such as a cough, a stomach bug, a bug bite, mild upper respiratory infection (URI) symptoms, or vague pain. Almost never does the child have a significant medical complaint that warrants an ER visit.

High Conflict on Paul Nystrom

Middleman