Oct 28, 2012

Partially impartial

Frankly, in perfect contrast to public perception, we do not treat all patient equally.

Reason being, some patients are more important the others, due to several factors ie.

1. Age. Young patients have greater life span ahead of them compared the old patients, therefore, they get prioritized. If there were a single ventilator for both patients with similar severity of disease, it will go to the younger patient because they have 'better prognosis' and the older one will be considered as 'waiting for his/her time' to come. No one really takes into account how much the older patient had contributed to the society in their youth.

2. Status/Royalty-link. YBs, VIPs, Sultans and family members, political figures will trigger the red carpet treatment. Some even coined the term 'social' ward rounds when ward rounds felt like a cocktail party where the high society people mingle.



3. Preggie. If you're pregnant or even just delivered few weeks ago, you're in the radar, you'll get prioritized. Preggie or pregnant ladies is being given priority is not because the noble value of upholding the sanctity of conception, pregnancy or the 'two lives in one body', but because people just wanted to save their asses from potentially being screwed in maternal mortality meeting which will be held at district level up to national level.



4. Complaint freaks. Surprisingly, our system do not allow us to be objectively providing treatment effectively and equally. Most of times, we reduce ourselves to lap dogs for anyone who threatened to complain. Sad, but true. Personally, I just do not give a d*mn and I will personally help him/her to write the complaint if needed to if they insist to make a fool out of themselves and their parents who fail to educate them.



Sadly (and pathetic), our system do not allow objectivity in treatment of preggie simply because they are preggie.

An unfortunate lady, delivered vaginally uneventfully a week ago, slipped and fell. Suffered loss of consciousness and possible symptoms of cerebral concussion. Ambulance call. She was shipped to the maternity hospital, instead of going to the General hospital, a separate building across the street with imaging facilities and the Surgical team. Time wasted further to bring that mother out of the ambulance to the triage for assessment and referral, plus putting back her to ambulance and send her over to General hospital. If needed, Gynae team is available in General Hospital.

The utterly appalling scene repeats itself again with another mother.

Delivered well 5 days ago. Slippery floor. Fell and hit her back. Couldn't walk. Sent to Maternity Hospital.

I think anyone with IQ of 70-100 without any medical knowledge would have known the mother with back ache do not need an OB consult.

The main reason she was being sent to Maternity Hospital is simply because of the General policy of Ambulance Call: If pregnant or near after delivery, all patients MUST be sent to Maternity Hospital.

Thus, can't really blame the people for fulfilling their faithful duty of 'saya yang menurut perintah'.

Perhaps such policy should be reviewed urgently before the delay actually kill someone.

I have no doubt that it will one fine day.


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