Happy doctors day all fellow doctors . It was a happy day indeed for me today when i saw an article on a leading newspaper forwarded by a friend . It showcased positivity about doctors and the noble profession .
After reading scores of articles on doctors , patients and doctor patient relationship it was a welcome relief on doctors day . I myself has written many articles over the years on the doctor patient relationship and amidst the celebration let me suggest a few new year resolutions on both sides . I think being doctors day it can be a day of new resolutions for both doctors as well as patients .
1. Still most of the doctors and most of the patients are nice people inspite of the media induced stereotype . Nice doesnt mean they are the perfect human beings but most i have seen in close contact (be it a friend or as a patient myself or accompanying relatives ) are nicer than most people , After all few people will wake up at 2 am for another person on a frequent basis especially strangers . ( Yes , i do understand the money hungry concept even for this but few people will do 2 am waking up even for greed , try it and see ) . I agree there is a section of doctors who are real black sheep but let this day be a reminder to identify them and as a bare minimum avoid them . As a fraternity too doctors should identify them and make sure that they are brought to book . There should be a mechanism to identify the black sheep in the profession and that system should be free of vested interests . Vague generalisations wont help either doctors or patients and at present is only serving to demoralise the hardworking white sheep (opposite of black sheep )among doctors . Also even in media there is a section of media whose aim is to benefit by conflict in any form and they encourage conflict . In modern era its easy to understand which newpapers are spreading rumors and which are going by journalistic fairness .
2. Let go of the ideal . Lets face it . This is 21 st century and we know doctors are not gods . Lets not hang on to age old concepts and myths . We have doctors who may be god like in certain circumstances . But the reality is they are humans with families who try to combine a livelihood with some elements of missionary work in a world which is increasingly business oriented . Doctors are increasingly employed at business establishments who have money and i know personally many of my friends who changed their job because of unethical business ideals of non doctor management . Even doctors as management sometimes (remember black sheep ) resort to unethical means . Let this doctors day be an opportunity to have a realistic dream of what to expect from a doctor . It took me years to see doctors from that perspective . Its all too easy to criticise someone when you expect the "ideal " from anyone .
3. Spend your hard earned money and make doctors rich .Was it too sarcastic . Yes it is . But i mean it and i have done it and proud of it . Lets face it . Most doctors spend more than their fair share of time , hardwork , and their youth for patients . And frankly i as a patients relative want to see that they do get rich to show my gratitude towards them . And i have often seen the very people who dont crib for spending on a 10000 rs saree cribs for 100 rs doctors consultation fee . Yes , have seen it numerous times . And sadly its worse nowadays that even if a "missionary doctor " foregoes his fees the patient has to spend thousands on medicines which cannot be bargained or got for debt .
4 . Embracing technology : Good news for both patients and doctors is technology is making the doctor patient relationship different . Here too "anxiety " on how this will affect them is common like the free availability of online information which has made doctors anxious about the internet savvy patient . As with any new thing there is a growing up period and lets allow both the doctors and the patients the growing up time for embracing technology .
5 . Dont play doctor ( hey come on ... blogger just because you have doctor friends you cant support doctors ... they are bad .. ) ....Just an year back i had one of persons known to me tick off the investigations which her "trusted " doctor had written . Though a multimillionaire she being stingy herself wanted me to cut off some of the investigations which her specialist had written . I was looking at awe at her when she was trying to decide (with full entitlement ) what she wanted and not wanted . My role was to say yes to her ignorant and arrogant remarks . Let me be honest . Modern medicine is vast and the key thing is trust your doctor . If you feel he is not trustworthy instead of generalising ask around and change your doctor (white sheep , remember ) . But even if you feel entitled dont play doctor .(its a complicated science which after 15 years even i have an awe ) .
6. Lastly my personal theory :) Ignore it if you want . 9 percent of the people suffer from personality disorders . I have blogged on them before and observing and talking to numerous doctors and patients i found that these 9 percent of personality disordered people who come both in the form of doctors as well as patients are responsible fully for the bad doctor patient relationship . In short this minority decides currently the stereotype and many of the issues which is plaguing the relationship of the nice 91 percent majority . I would call this minority the "black sheep " in both the profession as well as the patients(usually a relative who wants to make trouble ) . In this doctors day both as doctors as well as patients lets make a pledge to identify this group , report them , isolate them so that the lost glory of the profession is regained . Yes , its not an ideal dream but a "practical" dream . Happy doctors day to both the doctors as well as their patients .
After reading scores of articles on doctors , patients and doctor patient relationship it was a welcome relief on doctors day . I myself has written many articles over the years on the doctor patient relationship and amidst the celebration let me suggest a few new year resolutions on both sides . I think being doctors day it can be a day of new resolutions for both doctors as well as patients .
1. Still most of the doctors and most of the patients are nice people inspite of the media induced stereotype . Nice doesnt mean they are the perfect human beings but most i have seen in close contact (be it a friend or as a patient myself or accompanying relatives ) are nicer than most people , After all few people will wake up at 2 am for another person on a frequent basis especially strangers . ( Yes , i do understand the money hungry concept even for this but few people will do 2 am waking up even for greed , try it and see ) . I agree there is a section of doctors who are real black sheep but let this day be a reminder to identify them and as a bare minimum avoid them . As a fraternity too doctors should identify them and make sure that they are brought to book . There should be a mechanism to identify the black sheep in the profession and that system should be free of vested interests . Vague generalisations wont help either doctors or patients and at present is only serving to demoralise the hardworking white sheep (opposite of black sheep )among doctors . Also even in media there is a section of media whose aim is to benefit by conflict in any form and they encourage conflict . In modern era its easy to understand which newpapers are spreading rumors and which are going by journalistic fairness .
2. Let go of the ideal . Lets face it . This is 21 st century and we know doctors are not gods . Lets not hang on to age old concepts and myths . We have doctors who may be god like in certain circumstances . But the reality is they are humans with families who try to combine a livelihood with some elements of missionary work in a world which is increasingly business oriented . Doctors are increasingly employed at business establishments who have money and i know personally many of my friends who changed their job because of unethical business ideals of non doctor management . Even doctors as management sometimes (remember black sheep ) resort to unethical means . Let this doctors day be an opportunity to have a realistic dream of what to expect from a doctor . It took me years to see doctors from that perspective . Its all too easy to criticise someone when you expect the "ideal " from anyone .
3. Spend your hard earned money and make doctors rich .Was it too sarcastic . Yes it is . But i mean it and i have done it and proud of it . Lets face it . Most doctors spend more than their fair share of time , hardwork , and their youth for patients . And frankly i as a patients relative want to see that they do get rich to show my gratitude towards them . And i have often seen the very people who dont crib for spending on a 10000 rs saree cribs for 100 rs doctors consultation fee . Yes , have seen it numerous times . And sadly its worse nowadays that even if a "missionary doctor " foregoes his fees the patient has to spend thousands on medicines which cannot be bargained or got for debt .
4 . Embracing technology : Good news for both patients and doctors is technology is making the doctor patient relationship different . Here too "anxiety " on how this will affect them is common like the free availability of online information which has made doctors anxious about the internet savvy patient . As with any new thing there is a growing up period and lets allow both the doctors and the patients the growing up time for embracing technology .
5 . Dont play doctor ( hey come on ... blogger just because you have doctor friends you cant support doctors ... they are bad .. ) ....Just an year back i had one of persons known to me tick off the investigations which her "trusted " doctor had written . Though a multimillionaire she being stingy herself wanted me to cut off some of the investigations which her specialist had written . I was looking at awe at her when she was trying to decide (with full entitlement ) what she wanted and not wanted . My role was to say yes to her ignorant and arrogant remarks . Let me be honest . Modern medicine is vast and the key thing is trust your doctor . If you feel he is not trustworthy instead of generalising ask around and change your doctor (white sheep , remember ) . But even if you feel entitled dont play doctor .(its a complicated science which after 15 years even i have an awe ) .
6. Lastly my personal theory :) Ignore it if you want . 9 percent of the people suffer from personality disorders . I have blogged on them before and observing and talking to numerous doctors and patients i found that these 9 percent of personality disordered people who come both in the form of doctors as well as patients are responsible fully for the bad doctor patient relationship . In short this minority decides currently the stereotype and many of the issues which is plaguing the relationship of the nice 91 percent majority . I would call this minority the "black sheep " in both the profession as well as the patients(usually a relative who wants to make trouble ) . In this doctors day both as doctors as well as patients lets make a pledge to identify this group , report them , isolate them so that the lost glory of the profession is regained . Yes , its not an ideal dream but a "practical" dream . Happy doctors day to both the doctors as well as their patients .
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