What message should I read this gesture?

I don’t see how anyone but that doctor could answer this. It is not going to turn out to be a universal gesture that people can interpret unambiguously. Why don’t you ask him?

Thank you so much for your prompt reply, Jeruba. Appreciated.
I am too shy to ask the doctor but I felt his gesture rather weird. I may be wrong but I detect either he is very open and warm or could he be saying I want to get to know you better as a person, rather than as a patient? Just a hunch. I may be misinterpreting it altogether.

He probably noticed you were trying to avoid his notice and just made a point of letting you know that nothing gets past him. However, I would ask the doc.
It could also be his way of trying to get you to open up and not be so nervous around him. He probably knows you are very uneasy whenever you visit and he wants you to feel safe and at home. The more relaxed and open you are, the easier his job will be in figuring out what is wrong with you.
Or maybe he just thinks your a sweet nice person and you just make his day better when you come around.

Trust your intuition. If it feels uncomfortable to you, then it is not something you want. If you try to avoid him, and he seeks you out, you have something to be concerned about, if you do not welcome the attention. It’s your body. You have a right to keep it from being poked or whatever. If it happens again, you might say, “I’m sorry. You really startled me. Please don’t do that again. I don’t like being touched when it is unexpected.”

If it keeps on happening. Up the rhetoric to make it really clear he should never do it again. If it happens again, you will complain to his manager.

It is your body. You do have a right to stop anyone from doing things that make you uncomfortable. It really doesn’t matter why he thinks he is doing it. The only thing that matters is whether you want your space to be violated or not.

Does he ever stutter? I sometimes get hung up starting statements, especially with people’s names to get their attention, so I often get their attention first through physical contact then find the words to come out more easily.

I would just read it as “Hey, you.” Sort of like a quick “hi”, said in passing.

Thank you everyone for your replies.

I have replied invidividually and would like to add that I am not going to worry my pretty head over this or lose sleep over it.

It is because he is not my regular doc but saw me when my regular doc was away and the finger poke incident was a month after my regular doc came back so, he could just be friendly and like Augustian indicated, just giving me a Hey you, quick Hi.

I had mentioned to Wundayatta that my one and only consultation with him when my regular doc was away, he placed his hand on my thigh for a few seconds and asked if I was feeling okay or nervous as my bp had skyrocketed. I was wearing pants then so did not think much about it. I would like to take it as a doctor being concerned for his patient.

I am not a prude or feel such seemingly innocent gestures are way out of line in any other situation… the finger poke incident that is.

I guess I just did not expect it from a doctor. One that I consulted only once.

When I had to call him re my medical condition and asked him if he remembers me, he went like, Yes, I do remember you very well. At that point, I felt he said it with so much conviction and emotion that I was stunned,

Perhaps because I am a woman, I kinda feel and sense more than what is merely said. Then again… I may be getting paranoid which I truly do not want to go there.

In no way am I questioning his integrity. Just my intuition telling me, something more to it.

Merry Christmas, Everybody!

Blessings!