MAR III

JONATHAN MALABANAN M.D.

Surgery Resident

Ospital Ng Maynila Medical Center

MEDICAL ANECDOTAL REPORT

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The Unexpected Rewards of Practicing Good Patient Care

(April 2007)

Narration

One afternoon, while on duty at the OPD, a 25-year-old Filipino, male consulted for pain due to laceration on anterior aspect of right leg. He sustained laceration secondary to a vehicular accident which occurred last week. He was sutured at a private institution prior to consultation at Ospital ng Maynila.

Physical examination showed swelling around the laceration site. The border was erythematous with foul smelling discharge coming from the laceration which failed to coaptate. The laceration site was tender and painful on palpation. I asked the patient “Sir, bakit po ninyo dinala sa amin at hindi sa doctor na nagtahi sa kanya?” The patient replied, “Wala na po kaming pera pang- follow up check- up sa doctor sa dating ospital. Yung driver na nakabangga ang gumastos sa E.R dati”.

I explained the condition of the wound to the patient. I decided to release the sutures, drain the foul smelling discharge and evacuate the hematoma. I explained the need to keep the wound open, to complete the antibiotics and to keep the wound clean daily.

Afterwards, the patient asked, “Sa inyo na lang po ba kami babalik, doktor?” I told the patient that it is more appropriate that the surgeon see the wound. But if the patient cannot do follow- up consultation due to financial reasons, he will just have to come back at our out- patient department next week. The patient waved goodbye and said “thank you.”

Insight: (Physical, Psychosocial, Ethical) (Discovery, Stimulus, Reinforcement)

Most of the time, as a resident, we feel exhausted complying with all the requirements of our training. A simple gift or a grateful smile from a patient can be the relief that one looks for to minimize the stress that piles up.

The rewards that we receive from exercising our ability to give good patient care are: patient’s excellent response to one’s treatment, the pleasure of helping those who needs it, the satisfaction of a job well done. But it is the unexpected rewards or little perks, as I like to call them, that makes our profession seems like we are more favored than the rest of mankind.

We won’t be bound to this hospital for life. But building our names and acquiring good rapport with patients will start here. We may not even practice in the vicinity of Manila, but virtues we acquire here will be remembered and uphold wherever we may go.

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