I was just thinking and reading some articles on doctor's morale. Seems like the morale of the medical profession is declining around the world thanks to the complexities involved in medical care. It's not as simple as patient gets sick, sees doctor, get some medication, pays doctor, goes home and gets better.
Now medical care is tangled in a complex web of government policies, increasing legislation, increasing costs of healthcare, the entities of managed health care organizations, insurance companies and the pharmaceutical industry. This is coupled with the increasing expectations from patients and the lack of resources to cater to this expectation.
We often hear of some malpractice suits, patients' complaints..etc. etc..as long as something goes wrong it get's publicized. How often do we hear the doctor's side of the story? We have all heard of the baby in Klang whose arm got amputated because of alleged misplacement of an intravenous canulla. Till today, no one has heard the doctor's side of the story. Or was the doctor asked to keep mum?
Does the public hears of doctors' laments? How doctors work 36 hours in a stretch without sleep? How doctors do not even have time to take a meal nor a bath? How doctors do not even have a place to sleep? How doctors work through weekends and public holidays? How doctors work in a hostile and under extremely trying conditions? How doctors get needleprick injuries and occupationally acquired infectious disease? And at the same time can MAKE NO MISTAKES?
NO the public doesn't want to know about the deficiency of the system. All they know is they are sick and they want the BEST for themselves (without paying much lah). And nothing should go wrong. If anything goes wrong, they'll head for the newspapers or the lawyer's office. Somebody must pay for that mistake.
How often have I given Medical Certificates to patients out of compassion rather than due to sickness in its truest sense? (which I have ceased to a large extent) Patients who wants MC for 3 days for a 15 minute consultation. One day to travel to see the doctor, the day itself for consultation and the next day to travel back. Sometimes MCs for you to collect your medications at a later date too! Yes MCs for your convenience (despite knowing you could have done all those in a single day if you want) so that your salary is not deducted and to save you from taking your annual leave. MCs for your flu, MCs for your stomach pain, MCs for your diarrhoea, MCs for your headaches, MCs for your toothaches. Even MCs for your back pain because you slept the wrong way. Even when your finger wound has healed but you claimed it to be still painful. Still cannot write konon...
However for doctors it is a different story. Every MC taken by a doctor is viewed with suspicion. Got flu only mah..still can work. Fever? Just take a panadol and go to work. Diarrhoea? Go to work after going to the loo. Cannot take MC. Sometimes hospital administrators additionally demands that the MCs to doctors must be issued by a higher ranking doctor. Meaning House Officers and Medical Officers must obtained the MC from a specialist. Never mind if it's just some URTIs. Cannot take from fellow MOs. Somehow there is this perception that doctors are dishonest and always trying to avoid work. How insulting!
Anyway, if it is true that doctors are always avoiding work then something is very very wrong with the system. People avoid work because of no motivation, low morale, hostile & difficult working conditions and along the usual overworked, underpaid line. Very few people will avoid work purely because of disinterest or sheer laziness.
And if it is true that doctors are frequently getting sick and taking MCs frequently then it implies exactly the same thing as above! In addition to a hazardous and dirty working environment. With no time for proper nutritious food, adequate rest and exercise.
And why are colleagues upset if you take leave? Because it means that they have to do your work! And why are they upset having to do additional work? Same reasons as above.
How sad our state of affairs are. An organization can only produce good results if it's workers are highly motivated. If not, everybody will avoid work or just do the bare minimum with no pride nor intention to achieve excellence. With low morale, even a large army can be easily decimated. But as usual, the powers that be chooses to turn a blind eye and continue believing in their own lies of "first world infrastructure and first world mentality"
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