What makes a hospital hospitable!
On 14th September2012, when Anna and I joined the MOSC Medical college hospital, the first function we attended in the hospital was the flag hoisting in connection with the hospital day. Following that occasion, there was an opportunity at noon to join with the staff of the hospital and students to share a community lunch. This annual ritual on the hospital day was not held in 2020, although it is the golden jubilee year, owing to the restrictions imposed upon due the COVID 19 pandemic.
I remembered on that day that, I was joining an institution, which Dr. K.C.Mammen, its first Medical director envisioned as early as in 1969, to be a Medical College in the future. He mentioned this to me when I first met him in his office. He even invited me to join the faculty after my post-graduation. I had come to meet him on the advice of Rev Fr. Paul Varghese (later a Bishop). I was a medical student at the Government Medical College, Nagpur at that time. I met Rev Fr. Paul Varghese accidentally, when he had come for a meeting of the Christian Medical Association of India. He mentioned to me about Dr Mammen and few of his colleagues, who left the Christian Medical College, Vellore to start the Malankara Orthodox Medical Mission Hospital at Kolenchery. I came to the hospital during my holidays, with a longing to meet Dr Mammen.
At the end of my conversation with Dr Mammen, I went away with a desire to visit him whenever I came to Kerala during the holidays because, he was a child specialist and I too had an interest in that specialty. He spoke about his years in Britain during his training in Child health and later as a faculty at the Christian Medical College, Vellore. What made him leave the faculty of CMC was the request of the management of the Kolenchery hospital to develop it into another ‘CMC Hospital’. Dr Mammen was taken up by the scientific approach at CMC Vellore through giving excellent care to patients using technological advances and practicing medicine ethically. I did come to meet Dr Mammen twice in a year during the next three years. I am grateful to him for encouraging me to stay back in India and to work in a needy area instead of migrating overseas, which was popular among my contemporaries at that time.
I remember staying with my father in the hospital on three occasions during the later years, when he was admitted in the hospital for his health needs. That was when, I became even more aware of the ‘caring component’ of the hospital practice that Dr Mammen was very particular about. The nurses exemplified it. The doctors communicated it cordially and thoughtfully. The staff in the laboratory, radiology and physiotherapy departments were never in a haste, but courteous and patient. I became fond of the cleanliness standards existing inside and outside the hospital. My parents found the stay in the hospital comfortable and refreshing.
My father had a sudden eruption of skin rashes in the summer of 1999 and I rushed to meet a dermatologist in the hospital. My father was older by then and was not keen to get admitted in the hospital. I remember meeting Dr C.K Eapen to get an opinion. He gave me his digital camera and asked me to return with some photographs of the rashes. I was rather surprised that Dr Eapen whom I was meeting for the first time trusted me with his newly acquired digital camera. It was this unusual gesture of Dr Eapen that enabled the dermatologist to plan the treatment, which resolved my father’s exfoliative dermatitis in a few days.
A year later my father was admitted in the ICU with a failing heart and he took a downhill course quickly. Anna was with him when he deteriorated. The sister on duty knowing that his time of departure had come, came close to his ears from behind and started singing to him stanzas of hymns and reciting from Psalm 23 in a soft voice. Anna remembers how he slipped away in the next few minutes peacefully and quietly. Every time I remember that most thoughtful ‘farewell’ given to my father, I feel overwhelmed by the spirit of compassion and kindness that was the second nature of the nursing staff. Dr Mariamma Kuriakose, the physician who oversaw the care of my father was kind and caring all the time.
I remember one occasion five years ago, when I suddenly became breathless while at work, following a prolonged bout of cough. I was running fever for a day. I did not feel well enough to go to the medical out-patient clinic. I got in touch with Dr Abraham Ittyachen on the phone to seek his advice. He was in my office within five minutes with a pulse oximeter and BP apparatus. I had some lung signs and needed treatment and rest. I do not remember having had any personal acquaintance with Dr Abraham until then. The way Dr Abraham responded to me was kindness par-excellence. He arranged for an X-ray chest and the technicians surprised me by their prompt and comforting approach.
Two years later, I had an acute episode of breathlessness while at home one evening. Anna was away at that time visiting our younger son at CMC Vellore. Dr Thomas, a resident in respiratory medicine, happened to call me casually for a conversation. Hearing my hoarse voice and sensing my breathlessness on the phone, he arrived at our home within forty minutes, all ready to take me to hospital. Fortunately, I improved with the inhaler he had brought.
Thomas, Caren, Rhea and Anjali part of our foster group, who spent one month as visitor-observers in Developmental Paediatrics and Child Neurology before they started the internship, surprised us one evening by arriving unannounced at our home with dinner packets. They did this on other occasions as well. The other groups of students who kept in touch with us and visited our home were students, who were doing research through ICMR student scholarships, when Anna was the research co-ordinator in the institution. They at the end of five years at MOSC Medical College imbibed the ambience of friendliness they experienced during their student life.
Anna and I took two of our grand-children for immunisation a year ago to the paediatrics out-patient area. Both children appeared bold till we arrived at the immunisation clinic. They became fretful on arrival, but the two staff nurses surprised us with their patience and consoling approach. At the time of giving injection, our grandchildren were sober enough to receive it without resisting it, thanks to the patient approach of the nursing staff.
I was at the out-patient registration area about three months ago to get my registration done for a consultation in the ophthalmology department. The elderly gentleman, who was before me in the queue, was not keen to answer the questions that the lady at the registration counter asked. He looked indifferent while replying. He seemed angry when the postal pin code of his area was asked for. He refused to comply. I watched the composure and quiet approach of the lady at the counter, which to me was courtesy at its best. I felt proud of the staff at the counter who face similar demanding situations each day and yet respond with proverbial hospitality.
Back in the department where I work, the three colleagues, Susan, Tinu and Sally, who joined the department along with me, have been another group of friendly people that I was privileged to associate with. They set the tone for the work and relational culture in the department for all those who came after them. Yesterday in a Zoom meeting, nine former staff who are in different places in India and overseas recalled their time in the department and referred to it as formative and informative.
Anna has many happy recollections of her association with her colleagues in the Pharmacology department.
What is a hospital, unless it is a friendly place!
I was at one of the snack counters yesterday. There were a few standing around ‘crowded’ at the counter with each person pressing to get his or her turn. The lady at the counter served each person with a smile and apologised for making them wait!
I watched a moving sight today morning, when an elderly lady stopped a trolly boy to get direction to the fifth floor. He turned to the nurse who was going with him to help the lady, while he proceeded with the trolly carrying some goods. The nurse led her to the lift and arranged with another nurse who was going to the same place to look after the elderly lady.
I stand and watch the way the domestic staff clean the floor. They would have many interruptions of people passing by. They would pause and allow people to pass by. The cleanliness standard they maintain is beyond the ordinary. The security staff help people and do not harass them. On a few occasions when I had to go to the pharmacy, I have observed the pharmacists taking time to explain to the patients the drug administration details. It is a pleasure to go to the blood collection area of the Clinical laboratory. The staff at the reception counter and the laboratory are excellent public relation people for the hospital, as they excel in their manners and phlebotomy skills. I have had to go to the main cash counter several times to change large denomination notes to lesser ones. The cashier is often occupied counting piles of notes. Even at that time he would look up to greet and offer to help with a smile. This is unusual to say the least! The office staff in the hospital and Dean’s office, surprise me because they are patient and friendly all the time. The support staff for the upkeep of the hospital is only a telephone call away. I found the plumbers, carpenters, electricians, etc. generously helpful.
Excepting for the last six months (COVID-19 season), I have not displayed my identity card on my dress at any time, although I used to carry it with me. I deliberately did it to conceal my identity and get a feel of the experiences that an ordinary person might have in different places in the hospital. I am glad that I escaped unnoticed as a staff most of the times.
It is possible that there might be some exceptions to what I have experienced and narrated. But being friendly and available is the second nature of many that I have come across during the last eight years in the hospital. A friendly disposition is health giving and promotes healing!
M.C.Mathew (text and photo)
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