Without The White Coat
By Florentino P. Alerta II M.D.

Hypertensive Specialist… just below the belt

 In the medical community of Metro Iloilo there is always a “dream” to unite all specialties under one umbrella, the Iloilo Medical Society, unfortunately there are some barriers among specialties like one specialty taking some cheap shots on another specialty. Unity and harmony among practicing doctors in Metro Iloilo could only be achieved fully if we all leave the professional jealousies and Filipino crab mentality on the doorsteps of our medical clinics. If we start treating one colleague as not just another competition around the block, but a very valuable member of the medical team then we will be taking another step in practicing medicine harmoniously, effectively and successfully.

When one specialist lectured on hypertension he had stressed out that the “family physician” can never be called or be labeled as a “hypertensive specialist” since he/she only attends a three day seminar, but an internist undergoes another 3 years of fellowship to become a “hypertensive specialist”. Filipino family physicians or Family Medicine Specialists or Practitioners had never placed or labeled themselves “hypertensive specialist”, but had further stressed to the general public (lay people) and the community that the specialty of Family Medicine is dedicated to the person or human being that we treat, cure and care for may it be in our “four cornered” medical clinic, offices or in his/her house or abode. That supports the statement that the specialty of Family Medicine is “YOU” … the person, individual, the human being that consults him/her may it be an adult person, a child or infant, a pregnant woman, a worker or employee of any industry or profession, his/her entire household that needs medical care and assistance.) We practice Medicine as we see it fits, for those that we know are out of our scope of practice we “refer” them to our “deserving” colleagues in other medical specialties. A medical practitioner in his/her right mind only practices the trade he/she is trained on. We don't do exploratory laparotomy or any invasive cardiac procedure or just the mere stress test we give it all to the proper specialty. As soon as we start criticizing other specialties expect it will always boomerang.

Hypertension as a disease entity is manageable once diagnosis is made, the Family Physician and the cardiologist have to work side by side to assure that the patient will get the best medical care, in this scenario we see two members of the medical team that will work closely and harmoniously delivering the best medical care to the patient, as the physician, is that our main goal?, a patient that has been cared for is happy and satisfied with our medical management and treatment.

As caring physicians we should avoid taking some pot shots or below the belt punches on other members of the medical team and specialties, who knows this colleagues of ours will be the doctor that will refer his/her patients to our specialties… for short another source of income and bringing longer lines outside our medical clinics. Always look at another colleague in the medical field as a member of the team, not as a competitor. (There should be no room for GREED in the medical field and practice, society's worst malignancies, in where it had metastasized to every corner of the earth.) As doctors and physicians we all believe that a society must care for its population enough to care of its needs. Treatment of disease and provision of health care are fundamental to a society's sound survival. These needs should be fulfilled as a gift to its population, not as a commodity to be bought or sold.

Medicine should be practiced with the sole intent of relieving suffering and caring for the patient, it should not be a “SHOESTRING MEDICINE” with a yardsale décor. The secrets of Medical Practice—spend lots of time with patients, closeness that resulted from spending time together is distinguishable from friendship… it is enhanced by a sense of no indebtedness. It should be loving, creative, humorous human interchange, not a business transaction, and it is not only prescribing medicine and therapies, but working together and sharing in a spirit of joy and “COOPERATION”.