I am not aware of the situation at present, but when Dr. Dev (Fictional Name) was junior resident, during the summer months, there used to a shortage of blood at the Blood Bank at AIIMS, New Delhi.
Although before admitting patients for routine or planned surgery, the surgeons used to get replacement donation done, this was not adequate to meet the full requirement of the hospital. The emergency patients were supplied blood without replacement by their relatives, sometimes 5-10 units in case of major trauma. Patients bleeding during the operation were also supplied blood without replacement. For example, the patient having emergency shunt surgery for portal hypertension in the night were frequently transfused up to 20 units.
The shortage of blood was met by voluntary donations most of which was done by college students. Due to heat and vacation in colleges, the voluntary donations used drop during the summer season, leading to the frequent shortage of blood in the blood bank. Many times the blood bank officers used to refuse to provide blood due to a shortage of blood in semi-emergency or stable condition patient. But Dr. Dev had a record of always getting blood for his patients even in the peak shortage months.
Dr. Dev used to contact the blood bank only in late evening or night once the faculty members have left and there was a non-doctor person as officer-in-charge at the blood bank.
Before sending the sample and blood requisition form, Dr. Dev used to phone the blood bank. As soon as the blood bank officer used to say Hello, Dr. Dev used to instantly respond with his name, e.g. “Sharmaji, this is Dr. Dev from surgery department. We have a serious patient, with low blood pressure, low hemoglobin in urgent need or blood (exaggeration). Please provide immediately.” Or if it Mr. Saxena is on duty then, with “Saxenaji, this is ……..” and so on.
The officer once identified by name, could not hide behind the security of anonymity and had to respond positively to Dr. Dev’s demands. They were also amazed that Dr. Dev knew their name and can identify them just by their ‘hello’. It was a fact that Dev was the only resident in the surgery department who knew the full name of all the officers who used to do evening or night duty in the blood bank.
This was like the soldier who phoned the General’s office expecting his assistant to lift the phone. (This was before the days of Caller ID.) As soon as someone lifted the phone and said “Hello?” the frustrated soldier said, “Get me that stupid General on phone.”
“You idiot.” shouted the person answering the phone, “Don’t you know that this is your General speaking?”
It happened that the assistant was busy getting some file from the cabinet and the General who happened to be nearby himself picked up the phone. The soldier was aghast for a moment. Suddenly he remembered that this is common line accessible by many.
He asked back, “Do you know who is this speaking?” “No, you idiot. Tell me your name and rank” commanded the General. The soldier retorted back, “Keep on wondering you pompous ass.” and slammed the phone with a sigh of relief.
If talking to the officer-in-charge after identify them by their name was not enough and they refused to provide the blood due to shortage, then Dr. Dev used to further say, “Okay, I will write in the patient’s case-sheet putting today’s time and date that, even after explaining the seriousness of the patient’s condition, officer Mr. XYZ (Full Name) refused to provide the blood.” “If he dies then you will be responsible for his death and there may be an inquiry against you.”
At this point, the blood bank officers usually used to provide at least one or two units.
And how did Dr. Dev used to identify the blood bank officers by just their Hello? Dr. Dev used to send the ward boy before making the phone call to go downstairs to the blood bank and find out who is on duty at the blood bank. So even before he says hello, Dr. Dev used to know who was speaking. And with time, Dr. Dev indeed learned to identify the various officers by just there hello.
Tip: Identify people by their name on phone.
Tip: Inform them you will make a written record holding them responsible for if they do not cooperate.
These two things can make even the most recalcitrant persons most helpful.
(Based on true incident)
— ND© Author. All rights reserved.
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DISCLAIMER: This article is intended only for fun purpose. The author does not promote or recommend any behavior illustrated here or claim it to be useful. Use of the information herein is at you one's own risk. Before trying to emulate or follow anything the reader is well advised to take into account ethical, moral, legal and other considerations. The author recommends that Medical Practice should be of the highest ethical and moral level keeping in mind the interest of the patient as foremost.
DISCLAIMER: This article is intended only for fun purpose. The author does not promote or recommend any behavior illustrated here or claim it to be useful. Use of the information herein is at you one's own risk. Before trying to emulate or follow anything the reader is well advised to take into account ethical, moral, legal and other considerations. The author recommends that Medical Education should be of the highest ethical and moral level keeping in mind the interest of the patient as foremost and according to MCI and other Board’s norm.
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