FM AUGUST 2018 ISSUE1 - digital edition

A touch that matters
Dr Devi Prasad Shetty
Cardiac surgeon, Chairman and Founder, Narayana Health
I
t is the human touch that makes the big difference in
the service of healthcare. If that comes from a doctor,
it may even save a life at times when drugs and
technologies fail, and surely bring much better outcome
of treatment. Love and compassion for the patient is the
best degree that a doctor can possess to lead a
successful career, and only that can make him/her
different from others in the profession.
As a doctor, one should realize that he/she can’t have
the kind of hesitation that others have in starting a
conversation with a stranger, the patient.
Remember that we in the profession have agreed to take
care of somebody in pain irrespective of what background
they belong to and how rich or poor they are.
It is very important to love people. If you have the
empathy, half the battle is won. The patients look into your
eyes as they are in pain. So, one touch or a word to assure
them that you are with them makes a big difference.
I have no problem touching or hugging my patients
who look up to me in their moments of pain. There is no
hesitation to talk or listen to them either. I am sure there
are many in this profession who believe in giving that
human touch, which is becoming as important as drugs
and therapy these days. This is because, as science and
technology progress, the element of compassion towards
the suffering is becoming scarce with service interfaces
becoming largely machine-driven.
Even scientifically, it is proven that a personal touch or a
passionate approach in your practice not only benefits the
patient’s psychological state, but also his or her overall
response to the treatment as well.
As a doctor-entrepreneur, I am all the more gratified as I
can touch more minds. As a cardiac surgeon, my reach is,
at best, limited to a few thousand patients in my lifetime.
But as an entrepreneur, it gets extended to millions across
a country where access to better health care is still scarce.
Hence, please love your patients and let the human touch
drive your practice, even as the advancing knowledge and
technologies enhance your skills.
(As told to C H Unnikrishnan)
98 / FUTURE MEDICINE / AUGUST 2018