mysql> explain SELECT  * FROM equipment_status  LEFT JOIN (medact.patdata) ON (medact.patdata.pat_acct=equipment_status.pat_acct) where status="dead" ;
+----+-------------+------------------+------+---------------+--------+---------+-------+-------+-------------+
| id | select_type | table            | type | possible_keys | key    | key_len | ref   | rows  | Extra       |
+----+-------------+------------------+------+---------------+--------+---------+-------+-------+-------------+
|  1 | SIMPLE      | equipment_status | ref  | status        | status | 63      | const |    72 | Using where | 
|  1 | SIMPLE      | patdata          | ALL  | NULL          | NULL   | NULL    | NULL  | 31385 |             | 
+----+-------------+------------------+------+---------------+--------+---------+-------+-------+-------------+
2 rows in set (0.00 sec)

mysql>