One doctor who was posted in the Community Health Centre (CHC) Ballabhgarh which was affiliated to the AIIMS, New Delhi, recounted his experience there.
An aged woman came to the OPD with the complaint of pain in her right knee. The doctor examined the patient and made a diagnosis of age-related osteoarthritis and prescribed some medicines for her.
The patient looked at the doctor with dissatisfaction and implored him to check her knee properly before writing the medicines. The doctor replied, ‘I have properly checked your knee and then only wrote the medicines.’
The unconvinced woman countered, ‘But you have not used this to check my knee!’ pointing at the stethoscope (steth) hanging around the doctor’s neck.
As most of you know, the stethoscope is used by doctors to listen to your breath and heart sounds. As most of the patients used to come to the OPD with chest complaints, cough and cold and fever, examining the chest with a stethoscope was done in almost all patients.
When the doctor had logically not applied the stethoscope to her knee, the patient felt the doctor was not examining her properly as compared to the other patients causing her distress.
Bending to her request, the doctor applied the stethoscope to her knee, acted as if his listening carefully to sounds made by her knee, and then said, ‘I have now done the full examination, but there is no need to change the medicines already written. Take them and come next week for follow up.’
A now satisfied patient happily left with medicines.
When the doctor did not use the stethoscope to examine her, the woman felt that the doctor is not taking due diligence (proper care) in treating her leading to her dissatisfaction.
It is not enough to be conscientious in while taking care of your patients/customers / clients but you should also appear to be doing so to their satisfaction, even if you may have to indulge in showmanship at times.
(Based on an allegedly true incident)
— ND
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DISCLAIMER: This article is intended only for fun purposes. The author does not promote or recommend any behavior illustrated here or claim it to be useful. Use the information herein is at your 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 purposes. The author does not promote or recommend any behavior illustrated here or claim it to be useful. Use the information herein is at your 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 norms.
