Articles

INVESTIGATIONS – SICKNESS CONTINUES

Dr.K.S.RATNAKAR

Dean, Prof & Head of the Dept. of Pathology

Nizam’s Institute of medical Science,

Hyderabad.

Physicians with little or no laboratory experience or training as well as hospital administratiors and others, see nothing wrong with hiring less well educated and trained technologists. Many of these individuals believe that laboratory equipment today is “ almost fool proof” and that any one can operate it atleast that’s what the manufactures would have you believe. R. Barrie Cook. If that is the situation in USA, it requires no great intelligence to assess the situation in the developing sountries like India. More income, less expenditure, instrument guarantee are the stimulating factors for medicare despensors to indulge in this kind of practice. Work has to be done irrespective of the place and type of hospital. Therefore, the choice to recruit a deseving person is elusive. Income has to be done irrespective of the place and type of hospital. Therefore, the choice to recruit a deserving person is elusive. Income has to be genrated, especially if it is a co,rporate set-up, where the reassures to compromise are great. The instrument purchased sometimes at prohibitive costs have to yield results financially and scientifically. The problem gains mor3e importance with the establishment of Hi-tech hospitals in rural; or semi-urban centres. The question, however, that remains to be answered is Don’t undeserved areas deserve same quality of medical care? Can this be accomplished by less qualified people ?

            For the authors of this principle, let us have question shall we replace a Physician with a nurse or pharmacy practitioner. a trained health administrator be replaced with an accountant, a surgeion with an experienced theatre assistant’ irrespective of the centre, and the so phictisationin instrumentation, quality is the principal issue. Patient wherever he may be, is entitled for excellent investigative facilities. A good medical technologist means, an individual whjo knows his instrument, aware of its problems and well versed with the care of instrument and above all knows too well that patients are treated but not the reports!! Picking an abnormality true or false is what the quality means. If this singular perspective is lost, the investigations become a bunch of papers. At the sme time, none of us would contradict a situation where a well-trained, highly qualified technologist may still not perform while a less trained performs excellently. This more an anomaly than a rule. It is gratifying to note that the both group recognize their inherent deficiencies and try to cope up by seeking short term training at best centers.

            Graduates of good academic records are not entering the field of medical technology. The reasons are many. The social testament, lack of promotional avenues, salary disparity may be some to mention. But all these become secondary when the environment an infrastructure are ideal. Simple instrumentation is not sophistication.

            For physicians or chairman of laboratory medicine, strong interpersonal relationships, frequent technology workshops, deputation to places of advanced technology are few to keep the individuals above instruments. No instrument can ever excel human instrument.

            Technology training centers need special attention. Today, especially in India, young graduates, not too well in many aspects aspiring for jobs might look towards these areas as a passport for easy money. Their objective is small, a certificate and a job in the Middle East. Both are not possible many a times. The not result is an ill-equipped student with a certificate not recognized to turn out any quality works. They are likely to land inn some private hospitals where the objective is limited as outlined above. Until and unless some urgent measures are taken to ensure quality training in these mushrooming technology training centers, many patients are likely to receive remedies for the diseases which they don’t have.