For a business trip I had to leave the country but the last-minute surgery was a Free Gingival Graft on a patient whom I performed a digital Implant Placement with GBR almost a month ago.
Since my trip would take more than a month hence, I felt the treatment should be done prior to my flight so we could save some time to be able to finish her treatments on time.
I usually (specially during the Persian New Year where we are closed for at least 2 weeks straights) don’t accept any patient 2 weeks before holidays but there were two patients, I considered exemption.
The challenge was one out of two is a female who is so sensitive and despite giving her instructions still wanted to be sure her doctor (who is me) is responsive personally to all her questions.
despite knowing I have done all the necessary parts legally and medically I still told my personal just incase if she has questions you can make exception for her.
I myself could understand her, especially after one time when my father was sick and we were abroad, on a trip, the cardiologist could feel how stressed we were and therefore he gave us his personal number and told us if we had any questions we could contact him anytime, I did learn something.
This little gesture gave us a comforting heart-warming feeling and though we just had a question which his staffs answered us promptly we didn’t contact him. But that little act of kindness felt a lot and made a big impact on me.
Her thanks and appreciation and just knowing her doctor is in reach gave me a comforting feeling too. Actually, the happiness and gratitude on her face was priceless.
Though some colleagues around the world are against such act, which I fully understand because some patients might abuse such an action, but as long as things are kept professionally and also the lesson which the cardiologist in a foreign country taught me; sometimes, some exemption may actually be a great act of kindness which pays two ways. And also shows sense of responsibility in our job. After all, as a healthcare professional we are responsible for the health of our patients and even strangers along the way in our lives.
Tell me your thoughts on this and let me know if you are a healthcare professional or a patient.
“Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a battle.” – Plato