I had to go for a medical checkup under my insurance plan sometime last week. Since I was feeling a little fluish as well, I thought the medical appointment came at the right time, as I could then kill two birds with one stone.
When I went in for my checkup, I told the doctor I have been having the sniffles and sore throat as well. She told me in that case I have to see another doctor for follow-up since that cannot be claimed under the insurance.
I told her that my company also uses the same medical group, so I can claim that under my company. She then said that my appointment was only for a medical checkup, not to do anything else.
I was totally bewildered. As a doctor, is she not supposed to treat the sick? Does it matter even if my appointment is only for a medical checkup? If I am not feeling well, do I not have the right to ask her to treat me, and is it not her responsibility to treat me?
I was reminded of another incident which I read in the papers some time back. There was an accident outside (or near) a doctor's clinic. Someone rushed into the clinic and asked the doctor to examine the injured person.
The doctor said that his clinic was crowded, and anyway he had no reason to treat the injured person since that person was not his patient. How can any medical practitioner say that? Does it mean to say that he can let an innocent person die due to his negligence just because the person is not his patient? Is a doctor's job not supposed to treat the sick and injured, regardless of who the person is?
I believe these are only few and far in between. I know most doctors are in the profession to heal and be a care-giver, except for those black sheep who are in there just for the money and think too highly of themselves.
But as doctors, their profession is to heal and help the sick and injured. Thus, it requires much more care giving and responsibility than other professions, since human lives are at stake. Not treating someone just because the person is not a patient is just irresponsible and selfish if I am to put it bluntly.
When I went in for my checkup, I told the doctor I have been having the sniffles and sore throat as well. She told me in that case I have to see another doctor for follow-up since that cannot be claimed under the insurance.
I told her that my company also uses the same medical group, so I can claim that under my company. She then said that my appointment was only for a medical checkup, not to do anything else.
I was totally bewildered. As a doctor, is she not supposed to treat the sick? Does it matter even if my appointment is only for a medical checkup? If I am not feeling well, do I not have the right to ask her to treat me, and is it not her responsibility to treat me?
I was reminded of another incident which I read in the papers some time back. There was an accident outside (or near) a doctor's clinic. Someone rushed into the clinic and asked the doctor to examine the injured person.
The doctor said that his clinic was crowded, and anyway he had no reason to treat the injured person since that person was not his patient. How can any medical practitioner say that? Does it mean to say that he can let an innocent person die due to his negligence just because the person is not his patient? Is a doctor's job not supposed to treat the sick and injured, regardless of who the person is?
I believe these are only few and far in between. I know most doctors are in the profession to heal and be a care-giver, except for those black sheep who are in there just for the money and think too highly of themselves.
But as doctors, their profession is to heal and help the sick and injured. Thus, it requires much more care giving and responsibility than other professions, since human lives are at stake. Not treating someone just because the person is not a patient is just irresponsible and selfish if I am to put it bluntly.
0 comments:
Post a Comment