Medicine in Hills

We have this hospital that has come in seven hills, while I was totally unaware that there were so many hills in the city. In fact I did not know about even one hill in the city. There has been some conflict with the civic administration and the this hospital's management. It had to do with the hospital refusing to give 20% free beds and free medicines to poor patients admitted on those beds. Finally they arranged a meeting with our clinicians to decide which medicines should be given free. Our heads of Medicine, Surgery, and I were called early morning to meet with out counterparts and reach a consensus on the matter. The consultants came 45 minutes late. while our boss and we waited for them. Our morning's work was kept on hold. Someone was carrying out the work, but our input was kept on hold. They finally arrived and the meeting began. The introductions were made. "Where is the obstetrician and gynecologist?" I asked. "They are busy" the youngish looking physician said. Both my Boss and I were stunned. "One gynecologist should have come from your hospital. Our most senior heads of departments are here" the Boss said mildly and smiled. "The duration of my clinical experience and your age in years are about the same. Any way, carry on the work." then he left us. The meeting continued. The visitors wanted to cut down drastically on the list of medicines that the civic hospitals provided to their patients. Our Professor of Surgery refused to cut down anything, because principally it was wrong. The young physicians kept arguing with him, until I finally lost my patience. "Let us put things straight. Today is my post-emergency day. My wards are full of patients, and I have to see them. You said your gynecologists are busy. But this is your work, not mine. They cannot too busy to do their own work, especially when their patients are only a fraction of your occupied beds, which I understand is thirty. In comparison, my ward has at least forty patients under my care, and there are five times as many under care of other gynecologists in my department. I am upset when you claim your gynecologists are too busy to come here. You want us to cut down on the medicines you would give free to the patients, which gets us in trouble if any patient dies in your hospital later for lack of medicines.." The physician got up and left without saying anything. After some time, her colleague got a call, listened, got up and left. Then he came back, declared there was an emergency with the other one, and he had to take her back urgently. "We have all facilities in this hospital" I said. "If there is an emergency, we can get her treated here." I was thinking of the traffic jam they had been telling us about, which had delayed their arrival in the morning. "No, no. I have to take her back" he stammered and left. The meeting could not continue when only one surgeon from their team was left behind. So we left too. I wonder if it was truly a medical emergency that made them go, since she had been looking absolutely a picture of health until she walked out of that room. Perhaps it was a call to her bosses, who advised her to go back abandoning any discussions?