It saddens me to see so many people believe that doctors are driven by greed and making money. Claims are made in the media that doctors do procedures just for profit, even by our Commander-in-Chief. I am sure most remember his statement that doctors make more money performing tonsillectomies than with conservative treatment. But, for the majority of doctors, nothing can be further from reality.
Doctors are battling many forces everyday on behalf of our patients; many that will never be seen or be appreciated. There are the prior authorization and prescription refills that fill our days. And we are always available after hours, whether personally or with a shared coverage group. All this work is uncompensated but we do it for the sake of our patients. We do it because this is what they need to have the best care.
Patients don’t know how much we truly care about them. Sometimes we stay awake all night worrying that they will be alright until the morning. They don’t see us on Christmas morning as we are watching our own children opening their gifts, which we cast aside to answer their call because their child is vomiting. This is our calling. This is what we are supposed to do. Because, we do care about this other child and want them to be well.
We sometimes can feel the fear that is in a patient’s eyes, fear of what terrible disease may be lurking inside. We try to stand up to that fear and calm it down. But, sometimes it breaks us down. Sometimes, medicine fails and there is nothing left to offer. Sometimes, doctors go and cry alone because we take the failure of the medical field as our own.
Each patient is unique to us. That is why we balk so much at following set guidelines. Each patient needs to be evaluated for who they are and not how they fit on a clinical pathway. It would be much easier to just follow these care plans. But, we care and our patients deserve our best personalized care.
We feel when our patients die, no matter how old and how sick. We are amazed at their fortitude despite suffering. We learn from their strong spirits. We know their passing is a loss to the world and a tragedy to their loved ones.
There may be some outlier doctors who are driven by greed, but this is a tiny minority. Most doctors truly care. And there are many services we do for free, just because we do care, not because anything we expect any payment in return. When everyone goes to bed at night, there is always a doctor standing by if they are needed.
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