Gone are the days when a doctor was considered as God. Later he was revered and adored though not treated as divinity. He formed a part of the family and was invited for all festivals and functions and consulted for all medical and even social problems. I remember distinctly an occasion when a patient died at home. He was regularly being treated by my father as his family doctor. It was a Sunday and my father had taken all of us to the beach at the evening. All of a sudden there was chaos on the beach. Two people were running, who we later realised, were desperately looking for my father. I was really surprised when I realised that they were looking for my father after the patient had died! My father explained this phenomenon to me describing it as a 'bond' between the doctor and the patient. It was imperative that the doctor who has treated the patient must see the patient after death so that 'soul rests in peace'. This was in the mid 60s when I was a primary school student. I was really overwhelmed!
Later I completed my MBBS and went in for Post graduate studies in Medicine. I saw and treated patients at the Government Wenlock Hospital. It was a very heartening and a satisfying experience. The patients selected the government system knowing full well that it was far from perfect. The doctors knowing this, went out of the way to compensate with compassion and the nurses and the other paramedical staff also did their best. The team work seemed to satisfy the patients who came from far and wide. Of course, some were unhappy, they shifted their patients out to other hospitals. Some patients died - often this event was predictable. Sometimes death was unexpected but doctors were around at the time and shared the sorrow of the patients. The trainee doctors acted as a buffer between the patients and the treating doctors never letting down their teachers whom they held in high esteem.
Now there is a complete change of the scenario. The patients do not respect the doctors in the same set up. Doctors are 'uncomfortable ,. Patients demand more. Even when they are aware of the limitations, their demands are unrealistic. They expect the senior doctors to be around all the time. It is unreasonable. The doctors belong to a cadre known as Honorary doctors who are not paid anything by the Government for teir services lent to the Government system. On the other hand the they are 'part time employees' of the teaching institution which limited responsibilities and limited emoluments. Obviously they have look elsewhere to make a comfortable living - which is the basic expectation of any professional with 15 years input into training (leave alone the cost). They do some private practice. In any professional system, there is a hierarchy and the system is closely followed. This happens in all government offices including the DC office, RTO, etc.
Not only the doctors are expected to be present all the time, they are also expected to solve all problems
medical and otherwise. One cannot expect a 5 star treatment at no cost. Shortage of medicines, non availability of space in the ICU, shortage of beds cannot be addressed to by the doctors. A road traffic accident is a case in point - Death or injury results from an accident. Such a patient is brought to the hospital and the relatives are naturally emotionally upset Doctors become the target of any shortcomings of the hospital or the system and any adverse outcome of the event. First of all take the larger picture - why did the accident happen at all? Because an unscrupulous person bought a non roadworhty painted up bus and got it certified fit for use by a corrupt officer of the RTO. City corporation officials made a road out of what was left after sharing most of the sanctioned money at various levels. The so called road is a true mutant with many holes. An unsuspecting two wheeler rider who is innocently trying to avoid a pothole and find the road or what is left of it is mercilessly hit and knocked down by a speeding bus often from the wrong side. He is rushed to the hospital and the relatives are not prepared for the event, outcome, or the expenses. In this emotionally charged condition they try to vent the anger on the easily available person - the doctor! Naturally the doctor who is trying to do his best against all odds gets naturally emotionally upset - after all, he is also a human being and an accidental easy target in the whole show! Every one is unhappy and the real corrupt antisocial culprits have got scot free! Nothing ever has happened to the bus owner, bus driver, RTO official, corporation road contractor, or road tax collector, DC ever! Only the doctor is targeted. All these culprits should be made accountable - at least they must be given the responsibility of transportation of the patient and must be made to bear the expenses of all the expensive treatment modalities, diagnostic tests and costly medicines and also the cost of treatment in a higher, greater equipped center if the need arises!
This is my personal opinion. A beautiful honorary system will die down if the steps are not taken at the right time which is now!
Later I completed my MBBS and went in for Post graduate studies in Medicine. I saw and treated patients at the Government Wenlock Hospital. It was a very heartening and a satisfying experience. The patients selected the government system knowing full well that it was far from perfect. The doctors knowing this, went out of the way to compensate with compassion and the nurses and the other paramedical staff also did their best. The team work seemed to satisfy the patients who came from far and wide. Of course, some were unhappy, they shifted their patients out to other hospitals. Some patients died - often this event was predictable. Sometimes death was unexpected but doctors were around at the time and shared the sorrow of the patients. The trainee doctors acted as a buffer between the patients and the treating doctors never letting down their teachers whom they held in high esteem.
Now there is a complete change of the scenario. The patients do not respect the doctors in the same set up. Doctors are 'uncomfortable ,. Patients demand more. Even when they are aware of the limitations, their demands are unrealistic. They expect the senior doctors to be around all the time. It is unreasonable. The doctors belong to a cadre known as Honorary doctors who are not paid anything by the Government for teir services lent to the Government system. On the other hand the they are 'part time employees' of the teaching institution which limited responsibilities and limited emoluments. Obviously they have look elsewhere to make a comfortable living - which is the basic expectation of any professional with 15 years input into training (leave alone the cost). They do some private practice. In any professional system, there is a hierarchy and the system is closely followed. This happens in all government offices including the DC office, RTO, etc.
Not only the doctors are expected to be present all the time, they are also expected to solve all problems
medical and otherwise. One cannot expect a 5 star treatment at no cost. Shortage of medicines, non availability of space in the ICU, shortage of beds cannot be addressed to by the doctors. A road traffic accident is a case in point - Death or injury results from an accident. Such a patient is brought to the hospital and the relatives are naturally emotionally upset Doctors become the target of any shortcomings of the hospital or the system and any adverse outcome of the event. First of all take the larger picture - why did the accident happen at all? Because an unscrupulous person bought a non roadworhty painted up bus and got it certified fit for use by a corrupt officer of the RTO. City corporation officials made a road out of what was left after sharing most of the sanctioned money at various levels. The so called road is a true mutant with many holes. An unsuspecting two wheeler rider who is innocently trying to avoid a pothole and find the road or what is left of it is mercilessly hit and knocked down by a speeding bus often from the wrong side. He is rushed to the hospital and the relatives are not prepared for the event, outcome, or the expenses. In this emotionally charged condition they try to vent the anger on the easily available person - the doctor! Naturally the doctor who is trying to do his best against all odds gets naturally emotionally upset - after all, he is also a human being and an accidental easy target in the whole show! Every one is unhappy and the real corrupt antisocial culprits have got scot free! Nothing ever has happened to the bus owner, bus driver, RTO official, corporation road contractor, or road tax collector, DC ever! Only the doctor is targeted. All these culprits should be made accountable - at least they must be given the responsibility of transportation of the patient and must be made to bear the expenses of all the expensive treatment modalities, diagnostic tests and costly medicines and also the cost of treatment in a higher, greater equipped center if the need arises!
This is my personal opinion. A beautiful honorary system will die down if the steps are not taken at the right time which is now!
