LETTER: Practising compassion is an important component of good medical care in any situation. And while there are some doctors who are compassionate, there are others who aren't predisposed to it.
But, if one is looking for a good doctor, I would start by looking for a person who is innately disposed to be a compassionate human being, someone who has a reasonable amount of self-awareness, who cares about people and who is committed to life.
One cannot be a good doctor by knowledge itself because knowledge is not always about facts, information and skills acquired through education, experience or interaction. There is also knowledge of how one thinks and works. Good doctors, and even good nurses are able and willing to communicate that knowledge in language you can understand, not medical jargon.
Most people assume that doctors meet a threshold of competence- intelligence, knowledge, and judgment, even a steady hand, for surgeons especially, and therefore, what separates good doctors from mediocre ones is the "sloppy and squishy" stuff.
But really, sometimes, it's the "sloppy and squishy" stuff that matters. My family's experience recently with doctors and nurses at Colombia Hospital Seremban reinforced in us the importance of doctors who are caregivers, effective communicators, the voice-of-reason, patient advocates and wise decision makers.
Good nurses on the other hand, are the counsellors, the hand-holders, the 2am vitals-checkers, the friend by the bedside, the reassuring voice and the familiar face. Yet, they are so much more. These people cannot succeed in medicine without the presence of mind and being vigilant about even the smallest thing.
Yes, it cannot be denied that healthcare has become corporatised to an unidentifiable level. But, it is also correct to say that many medical professionals remain committed to the ethics and ideals that brought them into the field in the first place. While taking care of our mum at the hospital, I could see why a hospital could be an inspiring place to work.
Indeed, compassion, kindness, humility and empathy are no substitute for knowledge and sound judgement, and are of little practicality to the healthcare professionals, especially on busy days; rather these characteristics are one of those things which provide value and comfort to the souls of patients and their families.
Our grateful thanks and appreciation to staff at Colombia Hospital Seremban, especially to Dr Gan Wee Hin, Dr Christopher Khoo, Dr Nabil, all nurses at the intensive care unit and the security people who helped in so many ways. We were blessed to have had met people who showed compassion and kindness at a time of great need.
LYN TAN
Kuala Lumpur
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times