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Global village idiot: Random notes on healthcare...
I have found fearless, committed, competent and safety-oriented doctors, nurses, technicians and staff everywhere. They do this every day. And they have been doing this every day throughout the last 15 months of the pandemic. #Respect
It’s Wednesday, 9.30 am, and I am sitting in the Mediclaim department at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, waiting to submit paperwork as part of the pre-admission process. Well, my younger brother is doing it (he is meticulous).
I have just submitted the Covid antigen test sample, which is a prerequisite for any medical procedure nowadays. It’s like a final “go, no-go” decision point, after all the other relevant medical “go no-gos” have been checked and cleared. I’ll get the report in an hour. If the report is negative (no Covid), then surgery can proceed; if the report is positive, surgery will be postponed and I will self-quarantine (though I have no symptoms), so that I am not a risk to others.
If the report is negative, I will be admitted for the surgery early Friday morning - which is when this column appears in HT Pune.
The hospital is coordinating with the insurance company for approval of cashless pre-authorisation. Insurers are typically enthusiastically optimistic when they are selling policies, and cautiously suspicious when it comes to authorisations and claims.
My decisions related to hospital processes are not, however, dependent on the insurer’s yes/no: in a surgical intervention it is my responsibility to ensure I have the best attitude going in, the best attitude coming out and the best attitude during. To achieve that it is important I pick the best facilities within my limited means, and not the best facilities my insurance company is willing to approve. In times of a pandemic, it is critical to minimise any risk of other/further infections apart from risk associated with surgery.
The insurer has to ensure they are not being taken for a ride, because it is a reality that people get insurance companies to pay for a lot of procedures simply because…
So when one is filling out medical declaration forms, it is important to provide all historical information accurately and truthfully, because it helps the insurer evaluate your requirements against the terms mutually agreed to in the policy.
I happen to be at Mangeshkar hospital on account of the fact that my orthopaedic, Dr Shirish Pathak, operates here. A couple of months ago, I twisted my left knee climbing down a flight of stairs and since then I have had pain while getting around. Due to the pandemic restrictions, the best course of action had been to grin and bear it.
Eventually in the first week of May, I had to admit the pain was considerable (my knee was buckling). A thorough examination, x-rays and MRI scans confirmed that I had a complete ACL tear. ACL reconstruction surgery at the earliest was the order of the day. It was an easy decision because Dr Pathak does not recommend surgery unless it’s the only way out - he weighs all evidence in the patient’s specific context.
Since December, I have visited the Chellaram Hospital, Jehangir Hospital, Dr Pathak’s Ortho Sports Clinic, PH Diagnostics, Poona Hospital and Mangeshkar hospital, for various medical reasons. That’s more hospital visits in five months than in the past five years. I am not the kind of person who second-guesses doctors or Googles information. My approach is to trust my doctor, or if it’s a new ailment, select a specialist doctor after consulting friends or family who are doctors themselves (no, I am not in favour of crowd-sourced or app-sourced information).
I have visited Jehangir and Chellaram regularly for checkups - the doctors and healthcare personnel are super professional, attentive and facilities are impressively up-to-date. My recent visits in pandemic times have made me feel safe since their protocols are outstanding, quick and patient-oriented. PH Diagnostics in Kothrud has been very impressive and safe. Mangeshkar hospital is right up there with the best in the city - their efficiency, courtesy, and patient-care is seamless. Safety protocols are clearly visible and everyone (right from administrator Sachin Vyavahare to reception staff) is accessible and prompt in addressing patient needs.
Yesterday, I was at Poona Hospital near Alka Talkies. My brother-in-law had a heart attack and my sister rushed him to the hospital as per recommendation of the family physician.
An angiogram revealed 100% and 90% blocks on his arteries. An angioplasty was performed, stent implanted and he was in ICU all in good time. The hospital seemed well organised, staff all helpful and following safety protocols.
It’s 10.50 am now and I just got the Covid antigen test report - it is negative. Yesssssss! I feel like I have just won a new contract or finished writing a new book. Because the negative report is an affirmation of the precautions we have been following since March 2020. It renews my faith that social distancing, precautions and appropriate lifestyle choices work, and that we have to continue the same vigilance and self-care.
A big part of my faith is coming from first-hand experience at the healthcare institutions: I have found fearless, committed, competent and safety-oriented doctors, nurses, technicians and staff everywhere. They do this every day. And they have been doing this every day throughout the last 15 months of the pandemic. #Respect.
Am looking forward to the surgery and thereafter, will get onto the road to rehabilitation and recovery … but that will be a different journey.
