Australian Doctor Australia Doctor 18th August 2017 | Page 32

Guest Views OPINION DR PAM RACHOOTIN It’s a two-way thing Is there really a power imbalance in the doctor– patient relationship? O NE of the heart-warming aspects of my recent CCU stay for a post-mitral valve and tricuspid valve repair is the response of friends and patients. Boundary police can stop reading now. Trained to sniff out any ink- ling of normal human inter- actions, they will no doubt be dismayed and horrified by the acts of kindness that I received. What can I say? After 28 years of caring for my patients, they rallied when I was down and out. Late one afternoon, having made the supreme effort to attend my own doctor’s appointment, I returned home to find that the front door looked like a shrine. Flowers, gifts, cards, cas- seroles. And that became the norm. My freezer filled up with homemade soups of all varieties. My patients, who knew I had survived nine days in intensive care, were now worried that I might not be able to withstand the more extreme risk posed by my husband’s cooking. I had care packages comprising beef stew, fish pie, moussaka, lasagne and a dish called ‘Invalid For formula-fed babies Supports easy digestion 1,2 • With a unique blend of patented prebiotics * • Enriched with Omega-3 DHA † fish oil which supports brain and eye development 3 Our Careline team is on call for healthcare professionals and parents Our dedicated team includes experienced Midwives, Nutritionists and Dietitians. Their experience and knowledge about early life nutrition is available for specialised, unbiased advice and one-to-one support. 1800 258 268 [email protected] www.mumstore.com.au Monday to Friday, from 6:30am – 5:00pm (AEST) BREAST MILK IS BEST FOR BABIES: Professional advice should be followed before using an infant formula. Introducing partial bottle feeding could negatively affect breast feeding. Good maternal nutrition is important for breast feeding and reversing a decision not to breast feed may be difficult. Infant formula should be used as directed. Proper use of an infant formula is important to the health of the infant. Social and financial implications should be considered when selecting a method of feeding. *Nutricia’s patented blend of prebiotic fibre = 90% short chain Galacto-oligosaccharides (scGOS) from milk, 10% long chain Polyfructose (lc Polyfructose) formerly known as Fructo-oligosaccharides (lcFOS) from chicory inulin. †DHA = Docosahexaenoic Acid. References: 1. Moro G et al . J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2002; 34(3):291–295. 2. Costalos C et al. Early Hum Dev 2008; 84: 45–49. 3. Koletzko B et al. J Perinat Med 2008; 36:5–14. FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS ONLY Nutricia Australia Pty Ltd, Level 4 Building D, 12–24 Talavera Road, Macquarie Park NSW 2113. July 2017. ANZ/KC/16/0053a. 14340-AD. Chicken’. The invalid, I believe, referred to me, not the chicken. There were deliveries of fresh fruit, sweets, cards, emails, origi- nal poems, and even a car- toon by an artist friend to cheer me up. Having migrated to Adelaide 34 years ago, not knowing a soul here, now I found a whole community supporting me. It has been a truly moving experience. Whenever I met a patient in the street, I was greeted with overwhelming kind- ness and genuine concern. Because my practice was built on word-of-mouth, everyone seemed to be informed (or misinformed) about my condition. The caring that I had extended was now radiating back to me. A retired physio took me on my first walk THE CARING THAT I HAD EXTENDED WAS NOW RADIATING BACK TO ME. outside the house, and care- fully counted the minutes I was prescribed to exercise, encouraging rest stops as needed on the way back. When I began seeing patients again, I decided that I could not afford to contract a respiratory infec- tion with a sternum that would take weeks to heal and threatened dehiscence with every cough or sneeze. I screened patients on booking to make sure they wouldn’t compromise my already fragile health. My patients understood and went elsewhere if required. We laughed over their doctor who had a new niche practice, one in which sick people were forbidden. I question those who define the doctor–patient relationship as one of a power imbalance. In my case, I would define the interaction as a recip- rocal warm healing rela- tionship that is mutually sustaining. As medicine moves toward an impersonal, busi- ness model, I am thankful that I have practised under the old paradigm. It is fast becoming the road less trav- elled. For me, it has made all the difference. ● Dr Rachootin is a GP in SA. 32 | Australian Doctor | 18 August 2017 14340 Karicare AU Ad resize_A4_AD FA.indd 1 www.australiandoctor.com.au 10/07/2017 5:25 PM