It is a sad few months for the medical profession in Malaysia. Doctors have been appearing in the news for the wrong reasons. In fact, 2012 will go down in history as the year with most number of doctors appearing for wrong reasons in the newspaper. The year started with a news of an O&G consultant in a government hospital being charged in court for “molesting” a pregnant patient. I wrote about this over here. I heard many version of stories regarding this case but I am not sure what really happened. I think the case is still going on.
On 22nd of October, I read this article in the newspaper of a doctor who allegedly molested a 12 year old boy by buying him a handphone. He was subsequently charged in court on 7/11/2012. I know this doctor personally as he was my houseman and my medical officer. Again, I do not know what actually happened. Just 3 days later, I read another article in the Metro regarding a patient who made police report claiming that a specialist molested her by fondling her breast and hugging her. At first I thought that Metro was just trying to get cheap publicity by putting up this case as the news did not come from the police. Unfortunately, yesterday 3/12/2012, this specialist was charged in court for molesting the patient ! I also know this specialist and I can’t really believe that he did it even though there are many version of the stories. He has appointed Gobind Singh Deo as his lawyer.
Everyone knows about our DG’s news that appeared on the 2nd day of Deepavalli (14/11/2012). I have written about it over here. Being the highest office bearer for a doctor, he was suspended and demoted by one grade yesterday. He would probably become the shortest serving DG in our history. Remember that in 2008, our Ex-Minister who was a doctor himself resigned due to similar news. After this DG’s incident, some even started calling KKM as Kementerian Kuat Main!
In March 2012, there was also news of a foreign trainee doctor (Master’s student) in USM who allegedly molested a university student. Singapore was also not short of such news. In April 2012, a physician at Changi Hospital was being investigated for molestation claims.
Many times I had written in this blog that the generation who “forgive and forget”, give high regards for doctors and do not question doctors is slowly disappearing. The newer generation do not give a damn who you are. I am not sure how much of these allegations are true but the moment your name appears in the news, there goes your reputation, no matter how good you are in your field. Even if you are cleared by the court, the damage has been done and whatever good deeds that you have done will just disappear into thin air. Some may even give up practising medicine all together. Remember, it is a job to earn you a living.
There are many patients nowadays who do not hesitate to accuse you of all sorts of things. It is very easy to put a doctor in a very tight spot. Few years ago I had a MO of mine who called me late at night in a panic situation. He was doing locum in a GP clinic and saw a patient who had URTI. As per usual, he inspected her throat and auscultated her chest with a stethoscope. Immediately, the patient accused him of trying to touch her chest and breast and threatened to report him to the police. He had to settle it on his own (money!). This left him with a post traumatic stress, so much so he did not want to do locum ever again.
Since I started my private practise, I have seen many patients who accuse the doctor and the hospital of many things just to get discounts and free treatment. These are the type of patients who we are seeing nowadays. Public still believe that doctors are having a good life with good money but the reality is different. No matter how many patients/lifes that you may have saved, a single patient like this may take you to hell and your entire reputation will be blown away!
In many countries overseas, it is mandatory nowadays to have a chaperone to examine both male and female patients. This goes for both male and female doctor. A male patient can also accuse a female doctor of molesting him. This has happened before. Even if you have a chaperone, whose statement will the police listen to? Your chaperone is your nurse who is employed by you. They nurse could be bias towards the doctor who is her boss. Thus, the patient’s complain will be the main statement which the police will consider in charging the doctor, unless the patient’s statement is inconsistent. I have seen one case where the police did not charge the doctor because the accuser’s statement was inconsistent as she keep changing the story! On the other hand, the chaperone’s statement must also be convincing and consistent. A strong chaperone will get you out of trouble. And, whenever you want to examine the breast or genitalia, always ask for a verbal consent before examining. I have seen many doctors who just assume that they can examine whichever part of the patient’s body just because the patient came to see them. I also know of some clinics which have installed CCTV cameras in the room!! Patients may argue of privacy but who protects the doctors?
The world is changing and the litigation rate is going up exponentially. Newspaper reports like above will keep increasing day by day. This is one of the reason why many do not want to do medicine in developed countries. There will come a time where we need to take written consent for each and every patient just to examine them. When this time comes, medicine will be dead. Machines will take over and every thing will be diagnosed by scans and “Star Trek” like gadgets. Doctors will become puppets who administer or prescribe medicine only, similar to pharmacist. The human touch will be gone……………
I feel sorry for these doctors if they are being accused of something which they did not do. If it is true then it is an embarrassment to the medical profession and the most trusted profession by public will slowly become the opposite……………..
Pagalavan's Avatar 
We are dealing with the Gen Y kind of patients nowadays. The problem is the Gen Y doctors (and parents) do not know of this and still think being a doctor is glamorous (job) and easy to do. I hope with your article, more of them will understand that being in this profession does require one to sacrifice a lot of things in life.
“The world is changing and the litigation rate is going up exponentially.”
What a profound statement.
Everything has changed….except the government of Malaysia.
SatuKAN Malaysia!
I feel sorry for the above said doctors but not the DG. He was caught at 2am+ in a hotel with with lover. And the punishment is not parallel. A teacher went for PKR seminar got terminated but this guy only demoted one grade (not significant at all)
There’re still many people think that medical graduates can start their on clinics right at the time they graduate.
Yup!! I still hear the same thing all the time. We have a totally ignorant society!!
And by talking to people from various fields and backgrounds, they seems to have the idea that all doctors :
1. Have a very secured future
2. Nature of Job – sitting in a cozy consultation rooms, joking along with their patients, and ends up with big bucks every month.
3. Are rich
4. One can become a specialist merely by attending lecturer classes and passing up assignments/coursework, like MBA
5. Highly respected
6. Are angels and are very passionate about their profession
7. Can issue MCs and prescribe drugs (including graduates)
8. Can easily retire at a young age
9. Had gone through tremendously difficult exams – failure rates are high (in fact almost all medical schools have almost 100% passing rate in Malaysia)
10. Can solve all their health problems (at times leading to mismatch expectations)
Anyone agree that the Medical profession is probably the least exposed profession in this country? (that many people are ignorant about it)
Yes, that’s the purpose of this blog!! To educate the public who are totally ignorant.
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Used to get calls from parents of house-officers but now getting calls from parents of MOs… Ahhh.. the Gen Ys ;-((
The HO becomes MOmah……….. Cry baby phenomenon continues
Hi Jazzman,
Very soon you will get phone calls from parents of specialists, because the MOs have become specialists.
“Used to get calls from parents of house-officers but now getting calls from parents of MOs”
this must be the biggest joke of year 2012!
Dr Paga, in the old days, doctors wear ties and their white coats. Insofar that I know, that is still the norm in UK where you have to dress smart. Nowadays, in Malaysia, I see them wearing tshirts jeans and even slippers. I have been told that those wearing ties will be told off by their seniors. Why has there been a change?
Ties and white coats harbour lots of bacteria. This is well reported in medical journals.
Yes, I read about it just the other day. Some study in US. But I suppose they harbour lots of bacteria because nobody thinks about washing them often enough. I suppose tshirts and jeans carry the same amount of bacteria if they are not washed often enough.
Yes, doctors do need to wear smart. But wearing tie and white coats is generally not feasible in our government hospitals. It is just too hot. However, you are NOT suppose to wear slippers. T shirts and proper jeans are sometimes allowed during on calls, not office hours but need to be smart and not like going to a concert!
I can understand given that everything has to be hands on and with no aircond in the government hospitals.
May be we should wear scrubs… more comfortable in this hot weather
YT….
i think the government hospital doctors can be spared the agony of wearing a tie and be choked up in the already hot & humid malaysian weather….bearing in mind that that government hospitals are not air-conditioned…and also that the doctors have to work very long hours. Even in the private hospitals doctors rarely wear tie these days.
As a patient, I am not in the least bothered if my doctor doesnt wear a tie….as long as he is dressed smartly and is professional. BTW it has been quite normal since the last 10-15 years now…for business executives even in multinational cos in Malaysia to discard the tie.except on official functions.
Well , if you choose to wear a tie…you are the odd one..kind of “show -off”.
In short, when in Malaysia do as the Malaysian weather permits.
.
Remember the Ex-Ex DG. All doctors are forced to wear white coat even doctor in A&E. His relatives when arrived to A&E, has to give VIP treatment where other laymen case has to wait. DG used to misused their power. I hope the new DG will show good example.
Hey Sheeba ABU….just curious….are u a registered voter?
in malaysia..common sense is not common. thats why the legacy of white coat. tie for docs, white uniform for nurses still continues. in malaysia is all about style over substance, appearance over competency. look at putrajaya our symbol of 1st world infrastructure, 3rd world mentality. perhaps that should be BN next slogan merdeka.
My thoughts exactly.It’s such a shame for our Malaysia!
As a 2nd year medical student, this issue was being stressed in our classes
The age of doctor dominance over patients is disappearing. Now its the opposite. They question you, some are fussy. It’s way complicated now.
But the 1 keyword that is stressed over and over is ‘consent’.
Explaining the procedure thoroughly and why it’s done helps too.
Lastly get a chaperone.
Yes, everyone knows this but unfortunately in real life, sometimes we are just too busy and forget to do this. When you least expected, things will happen.
Perhaps Malaysian doctors need a “legal whip” – to create a fear of being sued – and then only will Malaysian doctors spend time to properly educate and take proper consent from the patient, instead of a sloppy consent taking in Malaysian public hospitals.
When public hospital doctors come out to private practice – eg : doing locum, and facing educated patients who pay money and know their rights, then they will naturally be surprised. Surprised that the real population in Malaysia is not like the “Whatever you say I’ll follow” and “Doctor is my god” patient mentality in public hospitals.
This blog has helped educate many a doctor and layman like me. With the internet, google has become a great equalizer as far a getting information is concerned. How you use the information will separate the pro from the amateurs, men from the boys.
Confucius said: “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing”. This is where the main problem lies. Some people read a little google stuff and think that they know more than the doctors and try to act smart. Being well informed is another thing and should be welcome.
I am sure successful doctors will adapt accordingly and stay plugged into the information highway. Doctors who get their news update from salesman will soon go the way of the dinosaurs.
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