Getting Professional Advice
and
Doing Business are two different entities
(though both co exist most of the times)
-oOo-
Suppose
I go to a Civil Engineer
Getting Professional Advice –> The Plan
Doing Business –> The Payment
Now
I need to ask the Payment Upfront
Assume He says Rs 10000.
I have the following Options
1.
I pay that
2.
I find it costly and hence come back
3.
I ask him whether he can reduce it to Rs 9000
and If he agree -> 1. I pay that
and if he does not agree –> 2. I come back
There ends the business part
The Negotiations end with the business part itself
I should not portray my negotiation skills over the next part of Professional Advice
That is
When he gives a plan, I just need to follow it
I should not ask why a pillar is here or whether the pillar can be moved
The sort of “It is my House. I have the full right to change the pillar location or I have the full right to not have a pillar” attitude makes sure that the house will collapse
-oOo-
Same way
When a Civil Engineer Comes to a doctor, there is both business and professional advice parts
The doctor charges Rs 1000 as consultation Fees. The Civil Engineer can either Pay or Go Back or Ask for Concession.
The negotiation has to end at that time
When doctor says Take 4 tablets
He has to take four tablets
He cannot alter the tablets or reduce or stop thinking that “it is my body. I have the right to question. I have the right to change” Such attitude will ensure increased morbidity and mortality
You need to learn to know where to negotiate and where to follow when you are interacting with professionals
The First Advice Which the doctor says to you is what is best for you
IF you are going to given an alternative and ask whether it can be followed,
The doctor may say yes –> If that is right
The doctor may say no –> if that is wrong
But
What is the most important point
Is that
Even if your option is inferior to the one which doctor said in first instance (which would be the case most of the time) The doctor can only say YES if that is not wrong
In the end
Because of your “Cashewnut” attitude, You end of with an inferior option
So Decide what you want when you are seeking professional advice
Do you want “the Best Advice”
or
Do you want “EgoMassage”
Both cannot co exist in most, if not all, of the scenario.
Are you just shocked on reading this. Then you are in Shock Phase
Do you think this is wrong. That is Denial
Do you get angry that I am denying your right over your body. That is Anger
Do you say that “We need to look at an middle path.” “It is not that patient has to be mum” blah blah. That is bargaining phase
Have you realized what was your earliest mistake and now decided to change
Well that is acceptance phase of Kübler-Ross model
-oOo-
Update : 2023 09 09
Few days ago I came across a general physician who was treating a relative of mine, the doctor has prescribed Amlodipine 5 mg to her for hypertension. Recently, she has developed pedal edema and later on complaining about this to the doctor, all he had to say is #MedTwitter
— Shuvayan Dutta (@Shuvayan2002) September 8, 2023
//
But the patient couldn't walk so we asked for alternative medications not that we are preferring inferior drugs.
//
Dear Dr
I have not seen the patient.
I cannot say why that doctor chose Amlodipine.
But
He must have weighed in many factors before chosing that//
There…— 𝕲𝖚𝖗𝖚 𝕭𝖗𝖚𝖓𝖔 🇮🇳 (@spinesurgeon) September 9, 2023
//But the patient couldn’t walk so we asked for alternative medications not that we are preferring inferior drugs.//
Dear Dr
I have not seen the patient.
I cannot say why that doctor chose Amlodipine.
But
He must have weighed in many factors before chosing that
//There are lot more anti hypertensives that Amlodipine//
There are many anti hypertensives
No doubt
For a patient on a day, one will be superior and other will be inferior
This applies not only to Anti HT, but to any class of drugs (Anti epileptics, Pain Killers, Anti depressants etc)
So
Though all drugs may be equal theoretically
There is always a grade when you want to chose for a patient for that day
//not that we are preferring inferior drugs.//
This does not mean Propanolol or Ramipril or Losartan is inferior to Amlodipine
This means that Amlodipine is more suited for that patient as per that doctor.
—
Again
I don’t know the patient
I am just explaining the line of thought here
If you feel that the doctor is wrong
You can always consult another doctor
But
Don’t try to negotiate the professional advice
Professional Advice is not like Buying a Mobile or Shirt or booking Movie tickets
This is what I wanted to say in this context
//I asked him to change the medication//
With due respects, this is wrong
When you consult a professional, be it lawyer, or auditor or architect, you cannot dictate what they have to do
If you feel you can dictate what they want to do
Then you have to do it yourself
// as the patient (my relative) was unable to walk properly due to the edema, but to my shock the doctor said I cannot treat this patient. He vehemently asked us to leave and to submit his fees//
I think he is within his rights to say this
When you are dictating the treatment
This is the case of interfering with professional advice
I give my bike to a mechanic and if i chose a sub standard brand of clutch wire and ask him to use that, he has every right to say “I won’t repair your bike. Go elsewhere”
If I go to an auditor and ask him to change the Filing Category, he has every right to say “I can’t file your returns, Go Elsewhere
//What this behavior from doctors nowadays and that too a general physician?//
This is a correct behaviour
That physician is focusing on care and not on ego massage