A Two-Minute Visit and the Emptiness Within

Elderly couples often prepare for days before visiting doctors. They carefully select appropriate clothing, neatly organize their reports, and plan their travel by bus or rickshaw.

On the day of the appointment, they wake up early, get ready, travel, and reach the clinic.

Most of the time, their children are not with them. At the reception, there is no one to greet them with a smile. There is no tea or coffee, nor even basic greetings or courtesies – even in an NABH accredited hospital.

They quietly wait for their turn because this visit is a significant moment in their lives. They expect someone to listen and provide reassurance.

But once inside the cabin... The doctor speaks for hardly two to three minutes, checks Pulse and BP, advises to continue old medication, and says the prescription will be given by the assistant. The visit ends within minutes.

As they come out, the reassuring smile on their faces fades. They quietly gather their reports, look at each other and think, “We prepared so much, but did anyone really listen to us?”

Their eyes show disappointment, sadness, and a slight feeling of disrespect. After returning home, the same monotonous, lonely routine begins – but one thought remains in their mind: “Are we truly important, or just an entry in the prescription book?”

Questions for everyone to consider:

- Do such brief and low-communication visits truly meet patients' expectations? - Have you ever accompanied your parents to a specialist? Have you seen the expressions on their faces? - Is treatment the only purpose of the visit, or are communication, understanding, and respect equally important? - How seriously do we take these aspects in our healthcare system?

Dr Ravindra L Kulkarni MD DNB FSCAI Cardiology Just For Hearts