I appreciate why our clients complain about rushed and inattentive care at public hospitals. When I was young I used to work there myself and young doctors, overworked and stressed out, must adjust to the fast mentality and working ethics of: “Just get the work done!” Once you enter private practice, with less workload more experience and maturity, you see a patient as a person not “work” so you empathize with them.Just by doing so already helps them feel better, which is the first step towards recovery.
These refugees are generally young, tough guys who experienced terrible situations in their countries. When people like this seek medical treatment they are indeed in physical pain and in great need. If they complain about something, I know their symptoms are real because tough guys don’t complain easily. Every complaint needs to be taken seriously, though the underlying illness might not be what the initial symptoms point to. For example: one might complain of chest pain but it’s a bowel infection; another might complain of stomach and bowel symptoms, loss of appetite, progressive weight loss, however he’s diagnose with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, resulting from torture suffered in his country, coupled with the depression caused by separation from his family (i.e., an emotional disorder requiring treatment.) Medicine is like solving puzzles and detecting crime every single time; I consider each case like a chess game where the opponent is the underlying disease and the patient’s body and mind are the chess board!
Historically and in all cultures, being a doctor is inherently an endeavour in humanity, material reward is never assumed. This sense of duty is deeply ingrained in every doctor’s mentality. I believe this is true for all doctors, all over the world. Being able to help clients seeking Vision First’s help, is naturally a rewarding experience in itself. However, this doesn’t mean I look forward to being in this position forever. I and everyone at Vision First, sincerely wish that all asylum-seekers in HK are granted refugee status soon, so they may lead a normal, rewarding life in a welcoming and safe country. Ultimately, I wish a fulminating pandemic of peace, democracy and prosperity will break out everywhere, and asylum-seeker and refugee will become a reality of the past. I look forward to the day when Vision First ceased to have reason to exist or will move on to new missions.