I was working on some documents in my office when the clerk cum typist called.
“Sir, there is a patient’s husband who wants to see you. He says he has been sent by head of the ### department.” She knew it would disturb me in my work. She also knew I preferred to see all outpatients in the outpatient clinic unless there was an emergency. This did not look like an emergency. But he had come from the head of thee ### department. Heads of other departments deserved some courtesy, even if you were busy.
“Send him in” I said.
He came into my office. He had an ID card of a civic employee hung around his neck. He showed me a visiting card of the head of the ### department and said “we both come from the same place. He asked me to see you.” He proffered her papers. I looked at them. She had been to see us, and had been given progestin therapy for abnormal uterine bleeding, and had also been advised some tests. The reports seemed normal.
“So what do you want me to do for you?” I asked.
“She is bleeding despite treatment” he said.
“How much?” I asked. He did not know. So he called her on mobile and asked her. It turned out she was still on treatment and had stopped bleeding five days ago.
“She is OK” I said. “Bring her to my outpatient clinic on Monday after her next period.”
“I have come here while on duty” he said, pointing to his ID card. “Please treat her now.”
“But she is already on treatment. What else can I do?”
“She has these reports” he said.
“They are normal” I said. “Bring her as I advised you.”
He made a face.
“Where do you stay?” I asked, thinking it would be a far off place and hence he was reluctant to bring her. It turned out to be not very far from the hospital. “Bring her and show her to me. I will see her and advise.”
“OK. Can I have your visiting card?”
Suddenly I understood his modus operandi. He would get visiting cards of people with significant social standing, and use them to get work done by other people, saying the card owner had sent him. That was how he had got a card of the head of the ### department, and told us he had been sent by him.
“I never printed any cards because I do not visit people” I said truthfully. He went away to do what he should have done in the first place - bring his wife to my outpatient clinic on the day of her appointment.
“Sir, there is a patient’s husband who wants to see you. He says he has been sent by head of the ### department.” She knew it would disturb me in my work. She also knew I preferred to see all outpatients in the outpatient clinic unless there was an emergency. This did not look like an emergency. But he had come from the head of thee ### department. Heads of other departments deserved some courtesy, even if you were busy.
“Send him in” I said.
He came into my office. He had an ID card of a civic employee hung around his neck. He showed me a visiting card of the head of the ### department and said “we both come from the same place. He asked me to see you.” He proffered her papers. I looked at them. She had been to see us, and had been given progestin therapy for abnormal uterine bleeding, and had also been advised some tests. The reports seemed normal.
“So what do you want me to do for you?” I asked.
“She is bleeding despite treatment” he said.
“How much?” I asked. He did not know. So he called her on mobile and asked her. It turned out she was still on treatment and had stopped bleeding five days ago.
“She is OK” I said. “Bring her to my outpatient clinic on Monday after her next period.”
“I have come here while on duty” he said, pointing to his ID card. “Please treat her now.”
“But she is already on treatment. What else can I do?”
“She has these reports” he said.
“They are normal” I said. “Bring her as I advised you.”
He made a face.
“Where do you stay?” I asked, thinking it would be a far off place and hence he was reluctant to bring her. It turned out to be not very far from the hospital. “Bring her and show her to me. I will see her and advise.”
“OK. Can I have your visiting card?”
Suddenly I understood his modus operandi. He would get visiting cards of people with significant social standing, and use them to get work done by other people, saying the card owner had sent him. That was how he had got a card of the head of the ### department, and told us he had been sent by him.
“I never printed any cards because I do not visit people” I said truthfully. He went away to do what he should have done in the first place - bring his wife to my outpatient clinic on the day of her appointment.
