Do Hospitals Have A Soul , A Character?

Do Hospitals Have A Soul, A Character?

 By

 Vivek Hande 

 Very recently, a hospital, I was a part of, for some years, was adjudged the best hospital, in a certain assessment, for a calendar year. It felt good that our team was recognized for its efforts and felt like an incredible pat on the back for our team. There were a rigorous set of parameters which were taken into account by the inspecting team and I am glad we did well on most counts. 

In my honest opinion..

 A lot of patients, relatives, colleagues, peers, seniors called up and messaged and wrote in to congratulate. One recurring theme of the messages was that the hospital deserved to be recognized thus, because of its soul; because of its character and for its unwavering ethos. Not many spoke about the great infrastructure or the state-of-the-art equipment or the excellent results or challenging or complex cases done in the OT or the Cath Lab. Very few commented on the cutting-edge technology in all specialties we had acquired over the years or the very modern ICCUs and NICUs we were so proud of. Hardly any spoke of our impressive Infection Control Practices or our robust teaching program.

Vents; Tubes; Devices

 Almost everyone spoke of the spirit and character and soul of the hospital, which perhaps, set it apart from the others. This made me introspect a bit and coaxed me to do some soul searching. It almost seemed that the hospital was an individual; a living breathing person. 

Primum Non Nocere

The hospital was certainly not brick and mortar; certainly not steel and vents; definitely not infusion pumps and oxygen plants; absolutely not microscopes and endoscopes and CT scans and Dialysis Machines. It would always be all of these and yet there is something intangible that sets apart one hospital from another. And that is definitely the character of the hospital; the human facet of an infrastructure, which almost seems to have a smile; a set of welcoming arms; a caress; a whisper; a nudge; an encouraging pat; a firm handshake and an encouraging voice which tells you that all will be well or an honest admission that in spite of all efforts, things aren’t looking good. It is the human clothing, the human aspect of a great facility that makes a hospital truly special.

 I have now spent more than four decades being a part of a hospital; a medical set up in various capacities as a student; a physician; a sub specialist; an administrator and at times as a patient, a relative, a caregiver. I have had the privilege of seeing government hospitals; private hospitals, corporate hospitals across the country. I have seen small hospitals with basic and rudimentary facilities in far flung places and I do realize they were perhaps the best I have come across. No person really wants to go to a hospital, if it can be avoided. For most, a visit to a hospital is like going to an alien planet. Therefore, at the end of the day, the most important aspect was how the hospital made you “feel”, regardless of its strengths or limitations. 

 

Does a hospital have a character? There are hospitals which are just functional. They are neat and clean and may not be great on aesthetics but they deliver on all counts. They are simple, straightforward and efficient. There are some which just give a positive vibe as soon as you enter. They look bright and cheery and somehow the vibes translate to all the staff, who just seem to have one extra word of positivity to share with you. The hospital inspires confidence. There are hospitals which have an enviable reputation , misplaced at times, that every patient who comes in with a pulse , would be saved and walk out of the hospital. It is just the kind of confidence it evokes. Folks just know that everyone will stretch every sinew to give the very best to the patient.  There are others which somehow come across more as commercial enterprises rather than health care facilities. There are some which are very stiff and bureaucratic and have a lot of rules and regulations and emphasis on a lot many more things other than friendly, supportive health care. Just like the patients who visit the hospital, the doctors and nurses and support staff who work at the hospital, the hospital too has a different and a distinct character.

Caring is Curing

 Each health care facility is driven by the notion of, “Primum Non Nocere”, First Do No Harm. And yet we make mistakes at times. We also dehumanize patients at times. We also behave rudely occasionally. But there is nobody, in the entire system that would deliberately wish to harm anyone who comes to the hospital. You want to do the best for the patient and you want him to walk out of the hospital. And yet certain hospitals make less mistakes; the faculty is perhaps more communicative; more inclusive; make the patient feel more comfortable and helps make the patient take an informed decision. A doctor with a good sense of humour and an ability to see things in lighter hue can be infectious. The Nurses are a little friendlier; a little more patient; a little more encouraging. One such nurse can inspire the entire nursing cadre. Often , the patients or their relatives can be extremely demanding and unreasonable. The ability to take it in your stride and do what you have to for the patient is a vital trait. The Support staff is a little prouder of the incredible job they are doing and can galvanize each other to give their very best. A cheerful and helpful set of receptionists can transform the patient experience. 

 It is truly the character of the men and women who work in a hospital who constitute the character of the hospital. The patient experience begins and ends with compassion. The secret of the care of the patient is caring for the patient...