What would you have done - I?

[Ravi Ramakantan]

You have put in a transheaptic, self expanding Nitinol stent in the CBD of a 60-year-old lady with Obstructive Jaundice due to CA of the GB. This poor lady is from Bihar,, Her son has mortgaged his house to raise the RS, 45,000 need for the stent. With the icterus abating, you send the patient home to Bihar.Three months later you get a post card from the son that this mother is no more. A week later the son turns up in your OPD. You ask him why? He carefully opens a tattered brown cover and shows you the stent you had inserted. "Dr. This is what we found amongst the ashes of my mother. I wonder if you can take it from me and iof it will fetch me a few thousand rupees.. I have a big loan on my head"

What would you say, when you KNOw  what "other' doctors become rich with stents!!

As told my an oncology colleague of mine.

Ravi Ramakantan

[Ravi Ramakantan]

From: Padmaja Mavani <padmaja...@yahoo.co.in>
Date: Wed, May 23, 2012 at 10:20 AM
Subject: Re: What would you have done - I?

Very sad story. One cannot remain distant and professional in such situation.

Empathy loses its meaning !  What would I do???

Keep quiet probably. 

 

 Padmaja

[armida_f...@yahoo.com]

There are any number of people who want to help genuine cases . In the first place he could have got help to buy the stent . He could have got concession from the hospital through the MSW department . We need to be more proactive before the patient is operated and much can be done both in public and private hospitals if you really care for the patient . I remember 38 years ago I had sent Dr. Dastur the neurologist a poor patient to Jaslok Hospital because the theatre in KEM was under repair . He charged the patient one rupee for the surgery and got him a concession for the room ! It's all about caring

Sent from my iPad

[Padmaja Mavani]

Our residents help these poorest of the poor day in and day out and we don't even come to know. Some residents are very rersourceful.

But the administration never takes responsibility.They just make these boys and girls run from pillar to post.

 

 Padmaja

From: "armida_f...@yahoo.com" <armida_f...@yahoo.com>
To: Ravi Ramakantan <ramakan...@gmail.com>
Cc: "Mumb...@kem.edu" <Mumb...@kem.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, 23 May 2012 4:23 PM
Subject: Re: What would you have done - I?

[Ratna Magotra]

Have faced the similar situations with pacemakers and even heart valves. As to what i would do, depends on the other factors. There have been instances where pacemakers have been removed, sterilized and offered free to another poor patient.

ratna magotra