'Nothing To Lose' Mentality

Back in a couple of days ago, my senior MA told me of an interesting and yet distressing event in our clinic.

A patient suddenly ran amok and got into an heated argument with my MA and nearly punched him in his face. When asked what was the precipitating events, rumours said that it was due to a misunderstanding of appointment time given. The patient wanted to be seen right away. It wouldn't happen, and hence the cascading mishaps.

Another contrasting incidence happened quite some time ago in my in-laws house. My sister-in-law had just come back from her follow-up visit to a gynaecologist from a local private hospital. She was in the state of very remarkable anger. When asked what was the problems, she told me that the doctor was extremely rude to her. Rumours said that it was due to the fact that my sister-in-law had misplaced some tablets that were prescribed, and she wasn't following exactly the prescription. The gynaecologist had scolded her right in her face.

"Well, you could have just complained to the hospital admin, if you think he's rude. That's your right. You're in a private facility. Customer's satisfaction is their prime concern, for business." I suggested this, intending to calm her down.

She thought for a moment.

"No, it's no good making an official complaint."

"Why is it so?" I was rather amused by what she said, frankly.

"I waited so long and I've paid so much to see him. I can't just complain. It's not worth it. You'd never know whether he would change the treatment... or something like that. As long as the medicine is still working, it's ok."

As much as I can gather, most probably she didn't even dare to wink her eyebrows too excessively in front of that private gynaecologist. Let alone to mention about punching someone in the face;)

Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, as you can clearly see from these 2 extreme examples that I managed to recollect, the contrasting facts are just quite self-explanatory!

The first case was a patient who paid around 5 bucks to see a specialist. He was angry because of a long waiting time, and he ran amok without much hesitation.

The second case was a patient who paid around 200 bucks to see a specialist. She was angry too because of a long waiting time plus the fact that she was scolded for poor compliance. Nonetheless, she was careful not to show too much of her anger in front of the doctor. And definitely no running amok kind of behaviour!

In the first case, there is this deeply embedded 'nothing to lose' mentality. Probably what he thought was that he had nothing else to lose except the 5 bucks. He walked out of the clinic in giant steps and style.

In the second case, 200 bucks is "everything to lose", for most people.

It's rather sad to conclude this way. Amidst the striving effort of government health care staffs to provide free or near-free service, the signs of appreciation from the crowd are still generally lacking. There are some who would show appreciation, but most would take it for granted.

Suffice to say, cultivating and nurturing the 'nothing to lose' mentality amongst them is not a good strategy in a long run.

One must have something to lose, else he has nothing to protect, not even his own integrity.