by Tam Yeng Siang
I read the letter written by Tam Yong Yuee with interest and with a bit of concern.
As with his usual observant self, he has highlighted with a single example, how casual and nonchalant our medical profession has become, typically in Government clinics and hospitals.
It really amazes me that a Retired Primary School English Teacher (albeit a very good one), can be more circumspect in the diagnosis of our aunt, as compared to the presumptous view of the young doctor in attendance who has diagnosed her to have the Parkinsons’ disease.
Besides the absence of the ‘resting tremors’ that Yong Yee has observed, our aunt has also not suffered any speech impediment/deterioration in her years of having the trembling limbs symptom.
This is where my concern comes in. Are our young doctors serving in the thousands of clinics and hospitals adequately trained to treat our citizens properly?
If perchance they do not have the necessary experience when examining patients, do they take a moment to reflect, or even consult their references or their seniors, like what my brother did through Google?
To me, a doctor’s job begins when he finds himself stumped by a patient’s problems, and he tries to find a correct evaluation.
Have our doctors been trained to be discerning, or to just hazard a guess, like you and me. I am concerned.
(Letter by Tam Yong Yuee, published in NST 3.7.07, as follows:)
NST Online : Letters
2007/07/03By : TAM YONG YUEE, Muar
RECEIVING accreditation from an organisation like the Joint Commission International (JCAI) for our hospitals is a logical step in the provision of good health care for Malaysia as well as promoting the medical tourism industry — “Seek world-class recognition” (NST, June 29). It’s a win-win situation.
We need not worry about the private hospitals as they are profit-driven and are willing to pay for the best brains and expertise and invest in world-class infrastructure.
Government hospitals, though much better than before, still have a lot of room for improvement. With alleged cases of negligence happening once too often for comfort, this will be one aspect that needs looking into.
Once I brought my aged aunt (in her 80s) for an appointment in a government hospital.
The young doctor took one look at her and wrote Parkinson’s in her medical record card.
Not convinced, I did a Google search on “Tremors” and confirmed my suspicions that my aged aunt is suffering from a condition called “essential tremor” that occurs in people above 60, and linked to the ETM1 and ETM2 genes.
One of the tell-tale signs for Parkinson’s is “resting tremor” which did not occur in my aunt’s case.
What I am driving at is that to attain JCI-accreditation, government hospitals must ensure that their medical and nursing staff are of high calibre, well trained, committed and caring.
Many talented Malaysians who were rejected when they applied for a place in the medical faculty of local universities ended up serving in a neighbouring country which offered them scholarships, attractive terms of service, comfortable working and living conditions and, most importantly, recognition of their talents.
JCI-accreditation can be attained if the Health Ministry, together with the Education Ministry, remains focused on the relevant tasks and not be distracted by issues not related to health care and education.