Q “I have problem with a particular physician whom I find irrationally harsh with patients and this is affecting me because I can’t even disclose all that ails me. Am I the problem here?”
The 44th Annual Scientific Conference of the Kenya Medical Association was held in Kisumu on April 2016. A full day symposium on the health of doctors was organised on April 20 and addressed many aspects of the health of the medics.
A number of presentations stood out, in that they highlighted the fact that doctors take care of others, even as they neglect their own mental and physical health.
The Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board highlighted its concern about the health and welfare of doctors, and the risks that sick doctors pose to unsuspecting patients.
The chairman of KMA (Dr Jacqueline Kitulu) had perhaps the greatest impact when she shared a most moving story of her struggle to balance life as a doctor, wife, mother and neighbour as the multiple demands led to many emotional and physical challenges in her life.
The other highlight of the conference was a doctor from Uganda who told of her journey of life with cancer of the colon.
Her shock and horror was the fact that she had advised many people on how to carry out different strategies to ensure early detention of cancer and other diseases!
She had failed to take her own advice and only did the test (colonoscopy) because she was about to retire! It was almost too late. She is now on treatment.
Earlier in the year, the Kenya Psychiatric Association in conjunction with Chiromo Lane Medical Centre organised a one- day symposium of psychiatrists to address the topic “Physician Heal Thyself.”
Dr Dan Gikonyo the prominent cardiologist took the Mental Health Specialists through the risks they put themselves through as they practice medicine to get their patients better. The long hours doctors spend sitting and listening to patients could lead to blood clots.
The poor eating, sleeping and socialising hours doctors expose themselves leads to many medical complications. He illustrated this point by analysing the causes of death among his (and my) classmates and it seems that doctors seem to lead dangerous lifestyles!
In my presentation on the day, I showed a slide that stated “However the last nine months of my life has taught me more about mental illness that years of Clinics, ward rounds, home visits, lectures and Psychiatric literature.” This was a quotation from a British Psychiatrist who was suffering from depression!
Perhaps like in your case, the same doctor further wrote “I overheard a group of mothers discussing their recent GP appointment… the mothers had concluded ‘He seemed (the GP) more depressed than me, he was so stressed, she didn’t even listen or care what I said.’
So, here is the answer to your question. Doctors are human beings and suffer from all the physical, psychological and emotional problems that you also can suffer from.
Being a doctor does not provide immunity from disease. Indeed the evidence suggests that doctors are poor patients because many treat themselves, in the process delaying early diagnosis. Late diagnosis often leads to many complications.
Patients behave as though doctors are super humans who do not need to eat or sleep!
There is however another point I wish to make even as we seek a solution to the problem you now find yourself in.
The cost of training a doctor is very high and society owes itself the imperative to ensure that this very expensive asset is properly safeguarded.
Indeed, it is now clear that both the Regulatory Authority, (MP&DB) and the Doctors Association (KMA) have come to this recognition and programmes intended to help doctors are already in place.
The Medical Board encourages doctors to seek help for all manner of conditions. As we have stated, they suffer from Depression, alcohol abuse, Schizophrenia just like their patients.
In the past, doctors were threatened with removal from the register if they had any form of disorder. Now, a confidential and supportive programme is in place.
This programme is of double benefit. On the one hand, a healthy doctor is good for his family and career. On the other hand a healthy doctor is good for his patients. The harm done by a sick doctor sometimes goes beyond the imagination.
So, looking back, is your “irrationally harsh” doctor depressed? Is he perhaps having marital problems or is it that he is drinking too much? Once you allow yourself to hold such thoughts, you might help both you and your doctor.
As the psychiatrist we quoted above concluded, “we are not super human; in fact, many of us are quite messed up.”
Is your doctor one of those?
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