When Customer is King

 When Customer is King.

I was watching a documentary video on Paithani Sarees.
A beautiful weave of  of silk threads.
Made in Maharashtra.
Paithani Sarees are known for its rich vibrant colors and typical Peacock motifs.
The documentary also was talking about Current trends.
Today,apart from the traditional woven designs in silk,some handloom houses cater to every demand of the customers.
So now we get the traditional designs woven in other silks too( Tussar,Maheshwari,Organza to name a few).
The traditional motifs are replaced by whatever design demanded by customers.
Even the vibrant colors,traditional borders and pallu designs are modified or replaced.

But what was end product....
The authenticity, aesthetic part of the traditional Paithani saree handed down for generations got lost.
But when Customer becomes King....one has to cater to the demands.....

In a similar pattern,
Corpuratisation of Medical field has turned each hospital into a Hospitality Industry.
Patient has now become Customer.
And Customer is treated as King.
Doctors and Nurses have taken a back seat.
Medicine - A holistic treatment once upon a time is being commercially exploited. It is slowly losing its essence .
The Medical field now dictated by the Corporate world is slowly losing its reputation.
Patient now Customer is spoilt by choices.
Bouquet of investigations.
Display of advanced modern technology.
Array of procedures and interventions.
Easy accessibility and Availability depending on affordability of patient.
When Customer becomes and gets treated as King....
Then King is obviously going to get demanding,arrogant and rude.
Role of Digital information  too plays a role here.
Just like a half baked bread,Digital media provides inadequate and incomplete knowledge of Medicine and Medical procedures.
So our King is ignorant and arrogant.
Till yesterday, I only had to explain the Anaesthesia procedure I would be doing for that particular surgery and the underlying complications which are commonly faced and seen related to Anaesthesia.
Today,in the Corporate world,Anaesthesia too is being dictated to be catered to the " Demands" of the Patient- A Customer who is King.
It starts with Nil By Mouth.A vital part of Anaesthesia.
Choice of Anaesthesia- Before whatever was safe and gave better outcome was decided by the Anaesthesiologist.
But Anaesthesia field has become advanced today.There are variety of procedures of Anaesthesia available for a particular surgery.
So here too one caters to the demands of the Patient.
Rather I at times am forced to compromise in order to cater to the demands of the patient and relatives.

Role of Medicolegal today in Modern Medical practice.
When so many Medical negligence cases are being filed against the medical fraternity, Healing has taken back seat.
Concentration is only on Treating.
A Double Edged Sword hanging over the Head.
Every investigations, procedure and communication is guarded and calculated.


But Human body is unpredictable and unfathomable.
One can never predict outcome of the Medicine and the  procedures ever .
This reality of Medicine and the Medical field can not be denied nor overlooked.
Neither by Medical fraternity nor the Corporate world nor the Patient.

Dear Society,
Doctors spend years of their lives in studying about Vast Medicine and developing skills.
Trust them.Respect them.
Digital media can only provide an insight but not depth of Medical Sciences.

Technology is advanced today .but Science has its own limitations.

Customer is King.
But not beyond Nature and Human body.

Let's treat  Medicine hostically.....sans commercialisation.

Dr Tripti Milind Galgali
Anaesthesiologist, Hubli.