this lady underwent surgery to remove a tumour from the spinal cord. everything went well until she was about to be wheeled out of the OT. without warning, the ECG went flat, ie. she didn't have a heart beat. resuscitation was immediately started but was unsuccessful. it was sudden & it's effect devastating for the family. as 1 of 3 doctors who took care of her, i was inwardly traumatised.
but it didn't just end there - there was still the issue of an unsettled bill running into thousands of ringgit. after the hospital had sent several letters of demand over a 2-year period, which all went unanswered, they unilaterally opted for legal redress.
i personally disagreed with that course of action. the credit control people should have put in more effort to personally seek out the family & have face-to-face negotiation (win-win, remember?). of course the family felt aggrieved - the patient walked into hospital but went out in a bag. who wouldn't be upset??
what was needed then was a little human touch....
some compassion...
& loads of common sense.....,
all of which are in short supply these days.
expectantly, the family proceeded with a countersuit - claiming damages from the hospital (& indirectly the doctors) for negligence, & they have on their side, a lawyer who harbours high political aspirations & more importantly, would take the case pro bono.
notwithstanding the recent high-profile Foo Fiona case & the subsequent Federal Court ruling, medical negligence is difficult to prove. to cut short a long story spanning over 5 years & several court hearing postponements, the family recently agreed to settle out-of-court, pledging to repay a fraction of the outstanding bill.
i think closure is crucial when there are unresolved issues; besides, i find loose ends unnerving. closure demonstrates maturity in accepting the outcome & its finality, & to be able to move on with life. this event is significant to me as it happened on the day my son celebrated his "full month" birthday on 2002. it's like a person had given up a life so that another could live.
wasn't there a precedent 2000 years ago??
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doc in private practice venting steam....because life is more than just stethoscopes, syringes & getting woken up at unearthly hours.
10 comments:
It's truly traumatising to be burden with the death of the loved one and a huge hospital bills.
iml,
yeah, it's a double whammy. that's when a little human touch is much needed.
If only forgiveness is a virtue that is easily embraced by all but alas....
just me,
indeed, to forgive is divine.
Medical insurance is that essential. I advocate for medical insurance.
lynnx,
as far as i know, all doctors in private practice, incl GPs, have medical indemnity insurance.
it's THAT essential!
hi doc,
it's closure as far as the file is closed. I wonder what about the emotional and mental strain, the professional self-doubt and the stress of living under the fear of being highlighted in the press for 5 years?
Patients expect doctors to be like God and punished them if they are not.
hi alex,
such is the burden on the shoulders of many a doctor in the face of litigation, & i emphatise with them.
in this case, we knew there was no negligence involved, but we were just as distressed at the prospect of attending court hearings.
isn't it ironic that some still think doctors in private practice are over-remunerated?
is that why our hair grow gray faster?
alex,
not only that - the hair is dropping fast, too!!
btw, i met michael the urologist (from holy light) at our CG tonite.
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