The Very Important Patient (VIP) culture in Health sciences! Do give it a second thought!

So many a times while scrolling down through my social media page I see posts like these:

Mr. XYX: “Honored and privileged to have so and so Politician/Celebrity/ etc in my Dental clinic for treatment today” followed by 4-5 pictures, and of course, multiple wows and claps follow in the comment and like sections for these updates!

My dear healthcare providers the very important patient is a strange culture which we have created and we promote. Wow! The so and so is coming, and we may even cancel the routine appointments and get us and our entire team working towards a single person, and not just that we create an over the top hype about treating someone who I believe should be treated like just another human being. I do agree that there are people who do hold certain posts which carry more responsibility, who do carry an image which is associated with more fame and who may have a lot more bank balance than the others, but do you think it should influence yours or my attitude towards them as health care providers? Why don’t we rather deal with everyone with the same attitude and same courtesy? Even if you feel that being more courteous towards them comes naturally to you, then why the big hype and update about it at least on the social media?

What’s a little more ironic and surprising is that it’s us again who curse the attitude that the VIPs may bear at times. Blame yourself for their attitude and blame yourself for the discrimination that exists in such a humble profession as well.  It’s not just the dental sector that I am talking about, it does affect the medicine guys as well, an indoor patient bed which may at times be needed more by a serious patient is given to a VIP who may be in lesser need, the time and care which some routine patient may crave to get from the medical professional may be showered on someone whom we tag as “Important”

Publicizing about treating someone whom you consider important, and discriminating two people for the treatment you provide them as doctors is one of the most strange and highest version of inequity as per me. Let us stop creating un-necessary VIPs just because of their post or power! Let us think a little more wisely about this culture, let’s just know that at least we are in a profession where every single person who walks in is important.

Vandita Mishra

Email: vandita5jan@gmail.com