"Napping" doctors

I get really hot whenever reading posts like this. Typical behaviour of VIPs whenever they go to hospitals.

Why is this VIP allowed to go into the treatment room when he is not even a patient nor a close relative? How come he can simply be allowed to walk into a treatment room??!! What if a female patient was being examined in the treatment room?

Quote “I waited for a while for the girl to be treated and, realising that none of the patients were being called in by the doctors, I opened the door to the treatment room"

Why doesn't he go to any government offices and nap the many officers who goes for "makan pagi", "minum pagi", "makan tengahari", "minum petang", "tak tau pergi mana.." etc

Is it wrong for doctors to get a break for say 15 minutes to read a newspaper? Are doctors robots? Are any patients collapsing outside? Does any government officer work 8 hours NON STOP? Does he btw??!!

Often housemans as junior doctors will refer to protocols or guidelines whenever faced with uncertainties...what does he mean by "doing his own stuff"? The HO could be referring to a protocol...has he checked what the HO was actually doing?

Further in the report "In Petaling Jaya, LEE YUK PENG reports that initial findings showed that the two doctors were housemen who had just completed their shift".

Does he have the right to reprimand the doctors without asking for a proper investigation first? I hope he will have to eat his own words...Can the HOs concerned sue him for defamation if it is true they were NOT ON DUTY as reported? Hey they could be waiting for someone to pick them up for all we know.

And lastly why doesn't he reprimand the public who frequently misuse the A&E for minor cough and cold?

I just dislike immensely these judgemental VIPs who probably never sought treatment in a government hospital before. Or even if they do, demand to be seen by consultants and getting preferential treatment.

This fella probably is more interested in getting some brownie points and bask in the sun showing off his deluded "authority" towards doctors... If it wasn't his driver knocking down the girl, I'll bet he wouldn't care two hoots whatever happens in the hospital...

Interesting pen

Got this from another conference...

2 in 1, on the same end. Just twist out the highlighter over the pen. Something creative...

Exams and exams

I was just wondering if taking exams are inevitable nowadays. What is the original purpose of exams? I suppose initially it is used to gauge a person's grasp of learning so that extra assistance could be given to the ones who fare poorly. Maybe somewhere along the line, exams are then used to distinguish between "good" and "bad" students. So that the "good" ones can be given further opportunities to excel.

Then where is the line where exams have outlived their purpose? Or is there a line? Exams are now more a less a tool to "prove one's ability". For a purpose...scholarships? jobs? promotions?

I think up to a certain stage exams are useful for the above because there is no better way of "fairly" distributing out something limited. But after a certain stage it's really pointless. Come to think of it, exams are really useless to distinguish the potential of a person. After all exams are just as good as the examiners only. If you don't need or don't want to prove yourself to others why take an exam? The only reason I can think of is "that certificate" will bring "recognition"by others and the accompanying privileges. It's the certificate which says you're qualified...or is it? Exams techniques can be learnt and mastered. One can study for exams and then forget everything. So does exam results really show the "quality" of the person? I think not.

So are we taking exams merely so that we are "recognized" by others? If so it's really sad. We're not studying for the sake of passion but to be recognized by others. That's the reality of life. The reality of life is, "paper qualifications" are seen by public as proof of knowledge whether it is truely so or not. And that's the only way to attain certain things in life. It doesn't matter if you have been studying for decades out of passion but if you don't have a paper which is signed by another person...well...it's a tough ride.

Looking at history, a person once said the earth was round but didn't have any papers nor recognition by his peers who said it was flat and all was left of him was a memory...dang...can't even remember his name now although he was right in the end!

The sad thing called exams. So my conclusion is taking exams are never for knowledge but rather to get something you want from others.

TLC

No, this is not Tender, Loving Care. But Truly Loving Company...hahaha. Seriously. Check out the company's name and address below. And all dividends go to charity apparently. And no, this is not advertisement. Bought this soap out of curiosity (and it's cheap...)

Anyone familiar with this brand of soap? Hope it feels as nice as it smells...

Monkeys galore

Had a good outing today. Took a long drive to a coastal town and found monkeys to shoot. It is amazing thing that the baby monkey is completely golden in color compared to it's older siblings. One can be forgiven to think that they are 2 different species. Despite the difference color, the mother is fiercely protective of it's golden young.

Nature is always amazing!



The weather was also excellent and I managed to capture this dusk shot at a river not too far away.

Memories

Looking back at not too long ago, while in a district, modern amenities were scarce. However people were happier, more contented, cohesive and cooperative for common survival. They were more creative and less dependent on assistance. They learn to improvise and make do with whatever that was available.

This was my sleeping place at work during the night. Similar "niche" were used by other members of the team at night. Nobody really complained. We made do with whatever that was available. In fact it was an "adventure" to see who can be more creative.

And this was my regular eating joint. Looks a bit sad but it doesn't appear to be so then. It kept me alive and kicking :)

Fast forward to the future, despite the many super modern amenities available in bigger, more sophisticated cities, people appear to be unhappier. Expectations are higher, common survival is not an issue, one's own survival is more important. Fault finding and finger pointing is common. Creativity is not necessary, one just needs to complain and expect improvements to happen.

So does happiness correspond to the degree of material wealth we have or the modern amenities available to us? My observation does not support his hypothesis.

Nostalgic times...

Needing something different

People always ask " Is it difficult to do medicine ?" I don't find doing medicine that particularly difficult. In fact in can get monotonous. As more and more "guidelines" come into play, doctors actually has very little room to "use his discretion". I mean how difficult it is to look for certain features and "just follow protocol"?

In fact sometimes I find medicine kinda boring now. There is no more thrill, no need to use brain matter too often. The protocol will take care of it. Procedures - the more you do it, the better you are at it. That's it! Its purely a technical skill much like a carpenter's. What's more difficult in medicine is to handle the interpersonal/interdepartmental interactions.

What takes a doctor's time nowadays is to just follow the latest development and trials in other places and perhaps taking part in some trials. Then again trials is about following protocols. How boring! You just need to be hardworking and keep up to date... I mean there is really not much room for creativity in medicine. In fact if you're too creative, you might get into trouble. Just follow "what most people will do" will save your skin in this age of legal repercussion ie just follow the "standard of care". This differs from other professions where you WANT to be different...medicine is where you do not want to be different.

In this way, medicine is quite constricting. Definitely not for people who are bored easily. I mean all doctors talk most of the time is "My patient has..this and that.." When you listen to this day in and day out for at least 5 days a week... Am I burning out or perhaps in the wrong field?

I need to do something different. Like having this banana beer...

Medical camps

Something to get off my chest.

Have you ever hear of "medical camps"? I loathe to hear this term nowadays. This is an overused, overhyped nonsense by people with other agendas. Which really degrades the medical profession to the core making it like a cheap pasar malam.

Many NGOs and religious organization nowadays often have this "medical camps" programme and "catches" doctors to go and "volunteer" for the camps.

First of all : Do they think doctors are free labour ka?

Secondly : The "medical camps" I attended so far, the medical part of it was NEVER the real agenda. The real agenda is to promote that organization, so that somebody can get a name, so that they have an "aktiviti tahunan" to put into their yearbook, take photos and chit-chat. The members go to these camps with fashionable clothes, bringing cameras, kids, chips, sodas, mats whatever you name it- like a picnic!

These "medical camps" are a disgrace as so far as real medical care is concern. I as a physician was utterly embarrassed to be associated with such events. Not only it is a wish wash sort of thing, there was never any real concern for medical care. Panadols were distributed like candies with people coming asking for painkillers, vitamins, antibiotics etc like a UNHCR free food handout programme. No privacy nor adequate time was allocated for real medical consultation, advice and examination. There weren't even adequate equipment for examination. Even if serious medical conditions were uncovered there were no real plan to get these people to follow up in a hospital on a regular basis. Most of the time, it's just writing a referral or a one off transport to the nearest health centre. I mean if these people can go to a hospital by themselves on a regular basis, we wouldn't be going in to see them!

One may argue the aim is to screen for diseases not to treat them on the spot. So what?...

For example if one found a person to be severely hypertensive, that person needs to get medication and follow up regularly. If a person has cataracts, that person needs to go for an eye examination and treatment AND follow up review (it's not like changing car tyres for crying out loud!). IT IS NO POINT SCREENING FOR SOMETHING WHEN NOTHING REAL CAN BE DONE LATER. It is a wasting everybody's time except the organizers. I might as well go fishing in the river instead...

Another argument is that, the aim is not to treat but to relieve symptoms, relieve pain etc. Yes, if the person has chronic pain are you going to give him a sack of panadol to last him a year till you return next year? Assuming panadol does not have side effects...

Ah and the famous...bla bla bla..to comfort always. So you are gonna spend 30 seconds per patient saying emphatically "I understand your pain you are going through..." and feeling good about it?

It would be more acceptable to me if these "medical camps" were labelled as " basic health education programme" or something like that. Give some slippers, toothbrush, proper stove to boil water etc...will be much more beneficial. Even giving deworming pills and lice treatment is not really helpful, they will get reinfected in no time!!!

Btw how come there are no "free legal camps?" Or free "architectural camps?" or free" engineering camps"? Or free "motocycle repair camps?" Or free "electrical wiring camps?" Or free "teaching English camps"? Why? coz doctors "must be compassionate, so must give free" ka?

It is so embarassing for me as a physician to go for these so called "medical camps" looking at all the bullshit "medical consultation" to the poorly educated folks.

Ok. That's all for today folks.

Another con job

I found this brochure sticking out from my car in the hospital carpark. Among the many claims of cure from cancer to stroke, surely the claim that this medicine from China cures "nyanyuk" beats 'em all. (Nyanyuk = forgetfulness usually associated with dementia/ageing). This must be the fountain of youth we've all been waiting for.


In the brochure, coronary artery stenting was illustrated together with a ventilated patient. It did not expressly say that the medicine can unblock the arteries nor cure respiratory failure but I'm sure one can guess the implied message. And this was circulated in a hospital carpark!

Some pictures from Praha and Wein

A stained glass catching the sun rays inside St Vitus Cathedral in Prague CastleOutside the St Vitus Cathedral in Prague castle
Prague castle from afar
Attending a classical concert in Wein
A statue of Johann Strauss in a park
A Strauss souvenir I bought - looked similar huh
And the schnitzel
Stephensdom Cathedral and Schonbrun Palace in Wein

A different view

I just got back from visiting two beautiful cities recently, Wien and Praha - Vienna and Prague. Still have not got rid of the jet leg which I'm very susceptible. I felt very fortunate to have been able see and experience another part of the world which I had not known before.


We took a 10 hours+ flight to Vienna, stayed there for 3 days (including for the conference hehe...), then took a 4 hour train ride to Prague and stayed in arguably the best backpacker's hostel I've been so far. The rooms were clean, the sheets were comfortable and the toilet/shower spotless. We walked and walked to see the various sights despite cheap efficient local metro trains/trams. One thing that is remarkable in Vienna is that nobody checks or asks whether you have ticket or not. I'll bet that even if we hadn't bought any tickets we will not be found out. However I think it is quite shameful to avoid paying (esp when one can afford it) when the system puts so much trust to it's citizens. However things are a little different in Prague. We did meet 2 metro inspectors who asked for our tickets (presumably to get some "duit kopi" fines from bewildered confused tourists who might not be familiar with the ticketing system- hey nothing was written in English!). Despite on a budget we also tried some local delicacies, the schitzels and goulash. And beers. We had a hard time looking for plain bottled water - most bottled water in Prague are of the "carbonated" type and it tastes horrible. Feels like your teeth will dissolve while drinking the "gassy" water.

And often whenever I come back from a visit to another country, I feel more relaxed, seeing things in a more "philosophical" perspective. Feeling a little grateful for the life in our own country despite the many "roadblocks" along the way. Although some might beg to differ I think we should "fight" for a better country for ourselves rather than giving up hope and leave for another country. Yes, many people have left this country feeling that there is no future for them (and I don't blame them), but then again this is going to be a self perpetuating philosophy. How can there be a better future when there is no one left to "fight" for it?


Anyway, that's for another day. For now, I'm gonna sleep. The above 2 pictures are from Prague. More pictures to follow later :)