Why And What’s the Remedy
The state of being connected in harmony is a Relationship. Great relationships are because of caring enough by either participant. A relationship is a Bilaterally Symmetrical vogue where give and take is an eternal part of the deal. This Give-and-take proposition between Doctor and Patient is mostly in cash or in kind. The relationship between a service provider as a Doctor with receiver as a Patient has seen a bitter taste in recent times. Whatever may be the reasons yet, out of sour & bitter relations Doctors are being mishandled, beaten or sued in court of Law. An Unhealthy Patient seeks a piece of healthy advice from a Healthy Doctor. Thus a relationship of Provider & receiver is established where something is sought from a Doctor while the Doctor delivers something to get something good as health in return.
Practice of Medicine is an everchanging field with evolvement of medical engineering and ever upcoming research. As prices are soaring high for all walks of life, this noble profession is not left behind either, to feel the heat of exorbitant pricing in research on newer drug molecule and biomedical engineering for early diagnosis or for medical or surgical interventions. Along with this it is to be understood, a paradigm shift has taken place both in Medical Education and in the practice of Medicine. Gone are the days when at an affordable educational fee a young used to get a degree in medicine. So also gone are the days when clinical diagnosis was only prominent methods over high end investigations which are prevalent nowadays. Mushrooming of medical colleges in private sectors has escalated the fee structure in the tune of Crores and thereby legitimizing high fee structure for patients as end user apparently.
Yet grassroots level doctors, be him a Physician or Surgeon are expected to display a FREE or SALE profile for their services. Ethical demands from Patients for early diagnosis and rapid recovery are not illegal either but expecting all treatment at least of possible expenses is providing dent in the relationship between Doctors’ and Patients. And another point of discontentment is the pricing of medical services be it consultation, pathology, radiology, interventions or even minor or major surgery. And that is the point where Mutual Relations are trapped!
An ill person deserves all attention to recover at a swift pace with the best of services at no cost. Is this the point of contention hampering the relationship between the healer and Patients?
Possibly YES.
Yes because it’s the right of a citizen to get pertinent and appropriate health services. But these appropriate services are available only in private sectors where corporate and private hospitals keep an optimum pace to ethical upgradation and modernization in this noble field of Medicine. The attained Molecular level of science helps early diagnosis, swift intervention and speedy recovery.
Isn’t it?
But how can these be at a penny cost? Relation, therefore between healers and the diseased are soured. Relationship, overall depends on expectancy and delivery. A balance between Expectancy and delivery is never mathematics like 2+2=4 always. In the practice of Medicine, uncertainty and probability go hand in hand leading either to a successful outcome or an outrage.
And above all, even high-end corporate hospitals can’t generate a positive outcome always. That’s the disturbing point in keeping relationships.
Nonetheless, the law of the land imposed multiple laws for Hospitals or Nursing Homes and Investigation centers for uniform regulation. At the same time, legal Acts on consumer protection have helped patients for negligence from doctors. Yet Doctors have to seek indemnity and therefore price escalation leaving an abetted scar in mutual relationship. It is hoped, the present status is going to be continued for long with an iron curtain between the health service provider and receiver. But what is the way out on our part.?
7 Path to Have, Good Relationship –
- Enhance Trust and have Honest Communication –
Proper and sufficient Time Allocation,
Proper Listening,
Proper Attention ( In Person or on the Phone),
Proper Questioning,
Proper Clinical Examination.
(Good Relationship rely majorly on Good Communication) - Briefing of Treatment Options –
Likely Differential Diagnosis and Prognosis,
Explain Battery of Investigations,
Explain Medical / Interventional or Surgical options,
Explain Limits of treatment,
Explain, likely and unlikely outcome. - Briefing of Expenses options on Drugs and in Hospital-
Explain life long medication for Life Style Diseases,
Explain Pricing of Generic and Branded Drugs,
Extend Discount on High End Investigations. - Risk, Reward, Recovery or Referral –
Avoid Negativity,
Proper Briefing in all stages of Disease,
Referral at an appropriate time,
Ask Me, note to get any query answered in proper way,
Don’t Ask, note to get your query to layman or chemist,
Avoid repetition of Investigations. - Respect Second Opinion –
That’s a Right of a Patient and should be asked always,
Avoid any criticism of any Doctor. - Preventive Health Measures explained-
10000 steps walk,Yoga or any racket sport for LSM,
Dietary Modifications,
Avoid Sedantary Life Style,
Stick to a health routine of daily living. - Getting Feedback always.
Digital feedback on SMS or on Email
Ask for expectations from Doctors, Hospitals and Staff
With these measures, medical practice can receive a humble building of relationships among Healers and receivers.
May, we be giving a try to avoid all untoward accidents in our clinical practice.
AK Bhadoria Blog 
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