Ever since the talk show on the Doctors, their investigations, their advices and their motives were put under a public microscope and rubbished, rather uncharitably, few weeks back in a popular TV channel, the social networking community is abuzz with claims and counter claims. There are those in public who identified with the counter-examples given and the Doctors seething with the general verdict given on their integrity without fully hearing them- the sole aim of the talk show was achieved resoundingly - its TRP (Television Rating Point) sky rocketed and the talk show has become the talk of the town! As for the channel is concerned , the objective has been reached and its time to look for and move after another 'raw nerve'. After all such shows are openly described as between 'you and me' and it will be a free for all for some time until the identified 'experts' could deliver 'their' verdict.
Enough exchanges were made amongst 'friends' in social networking websites and it is a revelation that our people have so much to say - its only a pity they don't express themselves in a tone that could be heard by all.
Even while attempting to digest these exchanges, I was also shared with two recorded versions of senior practicing doctors, from YouTube.
The first one was from Dr. Praveen Raj of Coimbatore (http://youtu.be/HCCOKKWfGpM ) True to his profession, the doctor without going overboard and in a calculated tone, which was maintained throughout the session , goes on to decimate the claims made in the talk-show. Wondering on the motive of a programme that started off with an accusation rather than a debatable point, he explains that medicine is not maths to follow a set of formulae and how every decision goes not only with the investigations but also based on the experience of the attending Doctor. He further adds that Master Check ups are not prescribed by Doctors and out-rightly rubbishes the statement "Medicines are given to keep the disease alive". Without caring to conceal the hurt and anger he counters it saying that " If medicines are not given the patient will not be alive". He has no hesitation to trash the 'well sounding " report quoted by another participant and easily points out as to how it is irrelevant to use that report which is more applicable to countries like US and European states.
The second one was from a Padma Shree awardee Dr Bhaktha Vatsalam( http://youtu.be/Z7k6RzMD0pc ), again from Coimbatore- well, this town seems to have its antenna up and focused while their fraternity in other cities did not bother to respond ! He goes on to say that no Doctor enters the profession to make money and pleads to the people to appreciate and praise them. While his claims of only the Doctors working on holidays and weekends to save lives and that they are demi-Gods could evoke another talk show, his points on most of the ailments are man made and invited by ourselves are interesting.
There are substance in both the learned Doctors' appeals - No doubt- when we are in great pain, when our kin has met with an accident, when our heart takes a breather - we look upon these as Manna from heaven to deliver and relieve ourselves from pain. They do play God in instantly relieving us of the pain and suffering and goes on to even define our lifestyle for the rest of our life for a trouble free run. The struggling baby and the hopeless mother with excruciating pain is many a time saved by the deft hands of an obstetrician, through a timely Cesarean section and the whole effort is forgotten by all concerned on seeing the mother and the kid, without even bating an eyelid for the efforts and timely decision of the Gynec.
But, to claim that the Doctors also approach this without monetary consideration, as claimed by one of the doctors is also hard to accept. Perhaps what the learned medico would have meant was 'no doctor comes to this profession only for money'.
Every profession has some black sheep and these sheep invariably drive the decision making , more because of the wrongs caused by them on the innocent public.
We describe a bank as the best in service based on one employee who always attend to you with a smile, but this impression will change the moment he is replaced by another with a shorter fuse.
We decide on the quality of service in a hotel by the solitary waiter who always attends on you.
We give verdict on a school /college by the teacher you get !
Similarly, people decide based on the type of services they receive. After all, one also cannot brush aside the confession of a participant from the supporting profession in the show, that indeed there are pressures from some medical practitioners to misdirect the patients into incorrect and unnecessary tests and investigations. But then it will be uncharitable to paint all with the same brush, too.
Unfortunately, since all the eggs are stacked in the same basket, the rotten eggs have started polluting the good ones. It is for the true professionals to work with the regulators, stakeholders and others 'who cry foul now trying to hold the flag aloft for this noble profession' , to sift the wheat from the chaff , identify the black sheep and weed them out.
Doctors, by the services rendered are very unique in nature and need to be appreciated, encouraged and nurtured with. I agree the world will become more painful in the absence of this rare and valuable professionals.
But then to equate them with the Almighty, say there are no blemishes and spare them the 'at times' deserving rod could also spoil these practitioners !!
This will be as unreasonable as the talk-show's attempt to paint all medical practitioners black with the same brush !!
Enough exchanges were made amongst 'friends' in social networking websites and it is a revelation that our people have so much to say - its only a pity they don't express themselves in a tone that could be heard by all.
Even while attempting to digest these exchanges, I was also shared with two recorded versions of senior practicing doctors, from YouTube.
The first one was from Dr. Praveen Raj of Coimbatore (http://youtu.be/HCCOKKWfGpM ) True to his profession, the doctor without going overboard and in a calculated tone, which was maintained throughout the session , goes on to decimate the claims made in the talk-show. Wondering on the motive of a programme that started off with an accusation rather than a debatable point, he explains that medicine is not maths to follow a set of formulae and how every decision goes not only with the investigations but also based on the experience of the attending Doctor. He further adds that Master Check ups are not prescribed by Doctors and out-rightly rubbishes the statement "Medicines are given to keep the disease alive". Without caring to conceal the hurt and anger he counters it saying that " If medicines are not given the patient will not be alive". He has no hesitation to trash the 'well sounding " report quoted by another participant and easily points out as to how it is irrelevant to use that report which is more applicable to countries like US and European states.
The second one was from a Padma Shree awardee Dr Bhaktha Vatsalam( http://youtu.be/Z7k6RzMD0pc ), again from Coimbatore- well, this town seems to have its antenna up and focused while their fraternity in other cities did not bother to respond ! He goes on to say that no Doctor enters the profession to make money and pleads to the people to appreciate and praise them. While his claims of only the Doctors working on holidays and weekends to save lives and that they are demi-Gods could evoke another talk show, his points on most of the ailments are man made and invited by ourselves are interesting.
There are substance in both the learned Doctors' appeals - No doubt- when we are in great pain, when our kin has met with an accident, when our heart takes a breather - we look upon these as Manna from heaven to deliver and relieve ourselves from pain. They do play God in instantly relieving us of the pain and suffering and goes on to even define our lifestyle for the rest of our life for a trouble free run. The struggling baby and the hopeless mother with excruciating pain is many a time saved by the deft hands of an obstetrician, through a timely Cesarean section and the whole effort is forgotten by all concerned on seeing the mother and the kid, without even bating an eyelid for the efforts and timely decision of the Gynec.
But, to claim that the Doctors also approach this without monetary consideration, as claimed by one of the doctors is also hard to accept. Perhaps what the learned medico would have meant was 'no doctor comes to this profession only for money'.
Every profession has some black sheep and these sheep invariably drive the decision making , more because of the wrongs caused by them on the innocent public.
We describe a bank as the best in service based on one employee who always attend to you with a smile, but this impression will change the moment he is replaced by another with a shorter fuse.
We decide on the quality of service in a hotel by the solitary waiter who always attends on you.
We give verdict on a school /college by the teacher you get !
Similarly, people decide based on the type of services they receive. After all, one also cannot brush aside the confession of a participant from the supporting profession in the show, that indeed there are pressures from some medical practitioners to misdirect the patients into incorrect and unnecessary tests and investigations. But then it will be uncharitable to paint all with the same brush, too.
Unfortunately, since all the eggs are stacked in the same basket, the rotten eggs have started polluting the good ones. It is for the true professionals to work with the regulators, stakeholders and others 'who cry foul now trying to hold the flag aloft for this noble profession' , to sift the wheat from the chaff , identify the black sheep and weed them out.
Doctors, by the services rendered are very unique in nature and need to be appreciated, encouraged and nurtured with. I agree the world will become more painful in the absence of this rare and valuable professionals.
But then to equate them with the Almighty, say there are no blemishes and spare them the 'at times' deserving rod could also spoil these practitioners !!
This will be as unreasonable as the talk-show's attempt to paint all medical practitioners black with the same brush !!
I agree with your observation. I too felt the talk show was biased against doctor’s fraternity.
ReplyDeleteI guess many of the genuine doctors would have been hurt.
Few of the public accusations were less thoughtful and were raised only to create nothing but sensation in the show.
Raghothaman wrote on 3-Sep-2014:
ReplyDeleteWell written....... Kudos..... for the excellent language and style of writing! I
Read it fully...The debate on ethics of medical profession goes on and on with no solution in sight.like so many other problems. Its just a time pass..All said and done we wait at the Clinic expecting our turn.