High spiritual quotient ideal for effective patient care
Ram Nath Prasad -

Doctors are respected in the society because they are instrumental in alleviating the sufferings of ill people. It is this very important aspect of their jobs, which have given them a ‘God-like’ status in the society

We have heard of IQ - intelligent quotient, but very few may be acquainted with SQ - spiritual quotient. We have doctors with high IQ who are known to perform complicated surgeries. They have learnt and adopted best medical practices/techniques. The talents of our doctors can be compared with the best in the world. Nevertheless, we cannot claim ourselves to be among the best healthcare providers of the world.

Where do we lack? What is needed to make customers ( patients’) happy. Talented doctors with high IQ, one might say. But, is that sufficient? The answer is ‘No’. We have talented doctors, however, our patients are not satisfied with the quality of services we offer. It proves that doctors (even with very high IQ) alone cannot satisfy the patient. Patients want something more. Apart from talented doctors, they want caring nurses, cheerful receptionists, disciplined wardboys, hygiene conscious sweepers etc. If all these are combined together, it is nothing but an efficient management with high spiritual quotient ( SQ). Intelligent doctors help in achieving patient satisfaction but a more important role is to be played by the management which must have a human touch, which is not possible without a high level of SQ.

When we talk of management with high SQ, it means everybody - doctors, nurses, wardboys, receptionists, sweepers and all of them must have an appropriate level of SQ. However, here I will concentrate on doctors. Doctors are respected in the society because they are instrumental in alleviating the sufferings of ill people. It is this very important aspect of their jobs, which have given them a ‘God-like’ status in the society. Somehow, this God-like status has not proved to be a motivational factor. Unfortunately, it has created a higher level of negative ego in them. Ego itself is not bad. Ego means ‘one is conscious about oneself’. Consciousness may be positive or negative. Ego begins when a person is born and given a name. When a person becomes very possessive about himself, i.e I am a doctor, I alone can do this, my name must come first etc., it creates negative ego which is self destructive and works against the interest of the organisation. Therefore, the doctors ego needs to be managed. Doctors become victim of negative ego due to various social and historical reasons which cannot be talked about in length here. Their negative ego is reflected in many ways such as, a) they do not like to work under a non-doctor manager, b) If patient asks many questions, they prefer them to be handled by their assistants, c) If somebody does not address them by the word ‘Doctor’, they feel hurt, d) They keep patient waiting for hours and if someone complains, he does not like it, e) He hates the rules (such as the rules under Consumer Protection Act, Application of Criminal Procedures Code etc.) which govern them. All these are manifestations of negative ego which most of the doctors are unaware of.

The time is ripe for doctors to change their attitude. The doctors need to give spiritual bent to their thoughts. It will make them more productive for the society. Doctors may follow the following suggestions:

• Believe in the saying - ‘Where a needle is needed, sword will not help’. You are important for the hospital so are the sweepers. No job is superior or inferior. Surgery is important, so is the cleaning of toilet. If the surgery is not done in time, it may kill the patient. Similarly, if hospital is not kept clean, it can spread infections in the hospital and play havoc with patient’s lives. So, can a hospital afford to underestimate the job of sweeper?
• By treating the patient, you are doing your job. So why to expect anything from the patient or his relatives or society in general? Behave like the Sun who gives light to the world and does not expect anything from it.
• Learn to manage your ego. Negative ego does not help you in any way. It does not raise your status/position in the society.
• God resides in everybody, which means your patients too. Your service to the patient is service to God.
• Human service is a great job. You take care of sick people and so you do a great job. You are fortunate that God has chosen you for this noble job.
• Human service demands big heart and noble thoughts. You are worthy son of your father - The Almighty and that is why he has made you doctor and sent you on this earth to take care of other people. We all are sons and daughters of God. This applies to your patients, too. Look at your patients as if they are your own brothers and sisters. Serve them well and let your father - the God, be proud of you.
• Think yourself to be a simple man. You can be useful to common people only when you identify yourself with them. Do not desire for special status in the society. It will be a handicap to you and will drive you away from the general masses.
• Curb your desire for materialistic pleasures because it has no end. You will never reach your goal and therefore you will always remain dissatisfied. Dissatisfaction is the mother of unhappiness. If you are not happy, how can you make patients happy? - Believe in team work. Have regard for the rules and laws. The rules and laws are made to serve patients’ interest. None is supreme than the patient. There can be many tips like the ones above. You will be able to search them provided you have a urge for the same and the urge should come from the core of your heart. If your spiritual quotient is enhanced, you will prove to be a greatest asset for your society and your usefulness will be increased many folds.

(The author is hospital administrator of Sankalp Hospitals Private Limited, Jamnagar. He can be contacted at shpl_eye@ad1.vsnl.net.in)