Friday, October 9, 2009

The medical bank

My dad never goes to a doctor when he falls sick. There was a time I used to feel that it’s not right. But now that I have my own reasons I too prefer to stay away from doctors. When my dad falls sick I don’t force him to doctor cus I believe that there’s no use. Though there was a time I frequented clinics and hospitals now it’s been years since I checked into one to get myself checked. I don’t opine that one should never make it to a doctor, but I feel that one need to think twice before doing it. Cus all they do is nothing but experiments on the patient.

What is it that makes me think this way? It was not a sudden thought, but it evolved through years to get into such a conclusion for me. I’ve lost faith in doctors since medical profession has become nothing but a financial institution that mints money. And when it comes to the quality of service I don’t find any reason to believe in their capability with the advancement of technology and all the ultramodern equipment.

There was a time when we were not so well educated, but people had lesser problems. There were doctors who could say at a glace what the patient is suffering from when there were no medical colleges. So what does that imply? The quality of education and what the institutions provide now is nothing but some means to make money. I believe that knowledge is a gift from God that can’t be sold or bought. But that’s what is happening now, which results in the crushing down of the whole profession.

Coming to the ground realities, let’s take a look at a normal person who suffers from a headache or body pain or a fever. It’s quite normal for a human being to have these problems in life. It’s the normal way body reacts to the environment. But a person who thinks it’s a problem will run to the doctor. And the doctor will prescribe some pain killer or a medicine, that he himself has got no idea of how it works, which is supplied or being marketed by a medical rep, and suppresses it, but never overcomes the problem. Often headaches, fever and such kinds won’t last for ever. But the patient tends to think it’s the medicine that works.

And if it doesn’t get right, the patient gets back to the doctor, who in turn will either increase the dose or try some other medicine. Here again the doctor won’t have any idea what exactly the patient is suffering from. Now if the patient is lucky enough the cure takes place, not because of the medicine, but naturally as time pass by. And if that doesn’t happen, then the doctor has to think of all the possibilities he has learned of. And now due to the lack of knowledge the patient will be asked to undergo few tests that might bring any outcome. If the patient is lucky enough he’ll come out with a lab report that speaks about a viral fever of anything of that sort.

But what if those reports are negative? Well, then there will be another set of tests that the patient has to undergo. And this will keep repeating, making a hole in the patient’s pocket. And unless it’s some disease that needs such tests, the patient finally comes out with a certificate that states everything is alright. And at the end what transpires is a doctor is one who plays with our luck.

It isn’t every doctor that I speak about, but majority of them. There still are doctors who really have the call and are serious about what they do. They put their whole heart and mind into it. And that is where one finds result. That doctor is the one who work not for money, but for results. But unfortunately due to the exorbitant fees and the fat pockets that await, medical colleges render pride, status and no service. Doctors go by the books, with no heart set on what they do. May be few of them join with good intention, but end up following the crowd. And of course a small number of doctors do filter through in the process with real knowledge.

As far as eyes are set on money there will be no favorable outcome. What they learn and do will be only for that. And as far as money rules there will be no skill produced. Gone are the days of doctors who used to do service for the society. That is why we need to bribe them in order to take care of even patients on their death bed. I haven’t come across doctors who are ready to do an operation freely when a person’s life is in danger. The more danger a patient faces the more demand the doctor has.

And the tag line is: I call those doctors servants as they serve, with utmost respect. But for others who do it for money, I give more respect to servants than them.