Dr Aung Khin Sint

WHEN a patient visits a medical doctor, they want to feel satisfied the doctor is considering their complaints thoroughly, making a correct diagnosis and giving the appropriate medicine. But often patients return home unsatisfied because they do not get enough time for consultation.

Dr Aung Khin Sint, a retired community medicine specialist and author of medical books, says doctors should consider patient satisfaction a top priority. Consequently, more emphasis needed to be put on kindly treatment and comforting words, he said, as these are valued by patients.

While Dr Aung Khin Sint said improvements in technology meant today’s young doctors have access to many good resources, it seems they are not always utilised.

Dr U Ko Ko, President of Myanmar Academy of Medical Science, said that modern teaching methods had caused a slip in standards.

“I believe the way young doctors are taught has changed over the past 30 years because the number of students has increased,” Dr U Ko Ko said. “The students cannot be given as close supervision.”

He said modern students frequently learned skills using models becausethere weren’t enough real patients to go round.

“That’s why we are always asking students to read broadly and widely,” he said, adding that the medical association has been trying to improve doctors’ awareness of ethical issues.

“We hope that if doctors know something is bad practice there will be less chance of these things occurring,” he said.

Another senior doctor said medical practitioners had to ensure they fulfilled their responsibility of care.

He said if a doctor was not confident about a medical case he should promptly refer it to a senior doctor or specialist.

“It is not a crime if you do not know something but it is a crime if you are aware that you are unable to properly handle the case.”

But a patient-friendly style was just as important as being knowledgable, he said. “Doctors must have sympathy and realise patients are not robots.”