Doctor

I went to see my usual doctor today for flu symptoms. His clinic is just a few blocks from my home. Seeing the H1N1 vaccine information pasted on the wall, I took the opportunity to ask him whether I should go for the jab since he recommended the seasonal flu vaccine for me last time.

Amazingly, he told me that though he recommend this H1N1 vaccine for me, he would strongly suggest to his patients like me to take the vaccine from the clinic a few street away. Apparently that clinic belongs to a healthcare chain that currently has promotion for the H1N1 vaccine such that it costs only $26 while the price at his clinic is $40. Simply put, he said his price is not competitive at the much. He asked me to go outside and checked with his nurse later for the number for that clinic. Unless that clinic ends the promotion such that the prices are not much different, then should I go to him for the H1N1 jab.

Wow what an honest doctor that really cares about his patients! He is a general practitioner that though not a specialist (those doctors probably command higher status in society) but to patients like us that always go to GPs whenever we have any illness, he is definitely our first line of defense. He really commands my respect. He kept his consultation affordable, nomally about $20-40 with medicine each time. Work unbelievably long hours, even working on Sundays last time. A few times I had saw him rush out to help when old folks (I live in an old estate) fainted at the food centre in front of his clinic. He would stay until the paramedics arrive which is usually very fast fortunately.

I used to take for granted that all doctors are like that especially since those medical-themed TV dramas always seem to show doctors as really selfless people. That was until I checked with my friends who are nurses. My good friend who used to work in the operating theatres in the hospital told me that in her daily contact with doctors, there are actually many with big egos that treat nurses badly and without much respect. There are people in the profession because of the status and remuneration.

Really glad that my GP is such a great doctor, though he may not win any contest for most charming doctor or gather much prestige in the medical community as he only treats general ailments BUT really, most importantly, to us, patients who go to him as our first line of defense for illness, he is our unstated Hero! :) Thank you Doctor!