Who are they?
From those looking for an OPD in hospital,
To the ones gasping for air…
From those diagnosed with a cancer incidental,
To the ones who walked out healthy in flair…
From those who were taken for burial,
To the ones who were reeled out on a wheelchair…
From those who were let in for a disease fatal,
To the ones who were not… so unfair…
Who are they…
They are the patients!!
I was into the second month of my internship. My surgery rotation was going on and this day was slightly more rugged. The surgeon was quite an erudite man and when it came to teaching interns, he was unforgiving. But this day, he probably woke up on the wrong side of his bed and was all grumpy. I was being bombarded with all sort of questions by him in the morning rounds and my silence was being complimented by his yelling back. I was being humiliated in front of hospital staff and the patients.
Following such an exciting start to the day, we reached the OPD where the surgeon would start seeing the regular OPD patients and I would sit across the table pretending to help in someway or the other.
So, there came the first patient of the day- an old lady with a big lump over her scalp and sat in front of the surgeon. He immediately turned towards me and asked,” Tell me the differential diagnosis?” I was just not prepared for this day. I could muster 2-3 differentials and the surgeon was obviously not happy… or at least, he made it look that way. With a displeased look on his face, he gave me his piece of mind and embarrassed me again in front of quite a few people… patients.
Nonetheless, I was more worried about that old lady who was sitting just next to the surgeon. She evidently looked terrified, because her attending doctor seemed just not in the mood.
However, to the utmost surprise of all, the surgeon turned towards her with a smile on his face. Greeting her in the best possible manner and making her comfortable, he began the examination.
For me, it was like watching Anniyan/Aparichit movie sequence where the schizophrenic protagonist switched personalities in seconds. It was impressive.
On noticing my thoughtful posture, the surgeon addressed me in a phlegmatic way,” It doesn’t matter if your breakfast was not great… or you had a quarrel with your wife early in the day… or your HOD shouted at you… no matter how riled you are… it never gives you any right or reason to take it out on your patient in any way.” He had gauged my thought content.
Those were the words of wisdom, though not always observed. Somehow, I was of the slightly different opinion. Doing long duties, not sleeping enough sometimes, sitting in never ending OPDs, it becomes quite human on the part of doctors to loose their patience and act out… sometimes.
Seeing me in a pensive mode and not so convinced with his words, I was fired upon by another question of the day,” When does a patient present to a doctor?” Now, this one was out of syllabus, like the ones they ask in big interviews- ‘what brings you here…’ and you are never sure of the answer.
I thought for a while and with hesitation, softly said,” Sir, when a person is physically or mentally unwell…”
“No!”, said the surgeon and I was not surprised. You don’t get it right as an intern. He continued,” Ours is a developing country with an inverse relation between the population and literacy. Unlike the developed, in 90% of the cases, a patient comes to a doctor after all the local remedies have failed, after all cures of the relatives have proved futile, after the googled answers are just not enough. And at that point of time, a calm and composed interaction makes a world of difference compared to a jittery and overwrought one.”
That was quite articulate and cogent. My mind was just clearing off all the doubts.
But the surgeon was not done. And he resumed his compelling monologue,” You know, arguments are generally given of doctor-patient ratio or the resources available, yet that only decides the management of a patient… and not the level of empathy that you can show towards a patient. It’s just an individual feat, not institutional. If you fail to do so, it is simply unprofessional and unethical, at times.” Only after I nodded my head, the surgeon continued on with his OPD patients.
That was the clincher. All my reasonings had fallen short of what just had been said. And that was so true.
In recent times, a lot is spoken about the doctor and the common man but the perspective of a patient often goes unnoticed. The perspective which has become the talk of social media and news in past few days.
When every morning, one is met with headlines of staggering statistics attached with a heart wrenching photo of a patient with oxygen mask, one wonders what has it come to… when did this happen. Certainly, the times are tougher but patients have always been there… they have always been at the receiving end emotionally, physically and financially.
They have always been… the usual victims!!
