Doctor-Patient relationship

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Doctor-Patient relationship

Journal Title: Journal of Bone and Joint Diseases - Year 2018, Vol 0, Issue 0

Abstract

Medical profession, once considered as the highest form of service to humanity is about to reach the deepest trench now a days. It is high time to consider what factors caused it to be labeled as highest form of inhuman crime. A doctor who once was universally accepted as incarnation of God to the suffering mankind, is no longer a human even, but has stooped to the level of a devil who misuses his skills and knowledge. One thing should be clear; such a big change in any relationship cannot be a result of a single incidence or one day. Responsibility lies on the shoulders of everyone from both the sides whose continuous negligence has to be borne by general public in the days to come. All the problems have two aspects and two sects associated with it. Both sides have their own complaints and grudges and have their own explanation to it. First and the foremost accusation on doctor fraternity is forced money laundering. Health sector is a kind of profession in which a sick or suffering person seeking professional help is the common connection. On one side are the attendants who are tensed and apprehensive. This attitude triggers anger and offensive incidences on their part. Other side is treating doctor who is bound to patient with the strings of duty. It's a common complaint that specialty hospitals charge enormous amount of money for treatment. But, at the same time, one has to understand that these specialty hospitals usually receive complicated cases and besides that the money has also to be spent on other special provisions like ambience of room and doorstep availability of food and other facilities for patients as well as attendants. Running cost of maintaining heavy infrastructure also makes the treatment costlier. Doctors are often blamed of keeping the attendants in dark about the actual health update and keep their patients admitted in ICU to make huge bills, whereas, Ventilator and other facilities result in a huge hospital bills. This often leads to violence in the hospital premises. It should be clear that people with wrong intentions are present on both the sides. Sometimes attendants are not in a state to deposit the money but support system cannot be discontinued just due to non-payment of fee. When condition of the patient gets better a big segment comprises of people who do not want to pay the dues, try to bargain like a shop. This results in acts of violence. Equally common are the incidences where patients die even on ventilator. It should be well understood that the one who is put on ventilator must be in a critical state. Prior to putting the patient on these life support systems, the situation is explained in detail to the attendants. Media is another factor which plays an important role in getting the situation, knowingly or unknowingly, complicated. Newspaper articles or TV shows are instrumental in propagating incidences or issues which malign the image of doctors without getting proper verification of the matter. It may help in getting a quick rise in their TRP but convey a false message to the large and ignorant segment of people who believe blindly on media and start building a wrong image about medical fraternity. Media should therefore verify the facts prior to airing or publishing such sensitive issues because these things are not in our control. We should also discuss about enormous pressure and expectations from a doctor, which all the people demand. This is a profession where the subject is not a commodity but a live human being and whether the patient and his attendants are convinced or not, if the treating doctor knows what is harmful for the patient, he just cannot stop abruptly in the middle of the treatment just on demand or pressure of patient's attendants. In nut shell, in most of the cases, communication gap triggers the unwanted situations. The attendants, medical practitioners and their staff all face a common problem i.e. stress. A counselor or a separate staff to explain the finer details of the treatment should be there in the hospital to smoothen the situation and to make sure the attendants should have convenient approach to him. A step towards betterment of the relations can be group practice by clinicians of same specialty dividing the hospital timings & responsibilities among themselves to reduce their working hours & better care of the patients at the same time, it will help in minimizing the stress generated problems & also reduce the running expenditure of infrastructure etc too. Sincere regards Dr. Sanjay Dhawan

Authors and Affiliations

Sanjay Dhawan

EP ID EP556475
DOI -
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