Name : Dr. Bency Joseph
Designation: ExSquadron Leader, Doctor
Qualification: MBBS, MBH
Date of birth: 12.02.1971
Age : 39
Phone number: 9868207835
E-mail.ID bencyj@ yahoo.com
Q1.What do you think are the qualities that a doctor should possess?
Answer. It’s a very challenging job and one should be professionally sound and should empathise with the people and have a helping mentality without which one cannot be a successful doctor.
Q2. Which would come first, your personal life or your professional life?
Answer. Definitely, professional life comes first, because work is worship. Family is also important but for me work comes first because of the dedication I need to give to my community.
Q3.What is the difference that you find in being a doctor of an army and that of now?
Answer. Firstly, being an army doctor, one needs to do a lot of administrative work as well as manage the affairs of the Army Officers, look into the medical centre from time to time. I need to do a lot of work and spend most of the time doing some or the other. Even, one is recognised as a family member being an Army Doctor even though you are a complete stranger because of the trust they have on you.
But, in the case of being a doctor at Ayushman Hospital
Q4.What would you do to reduce the amount of chronic diseases such as Diabetes etc?
Answer. Firstly, I would like to bring into your notice as to what comes under chronic diseases, and they are Cancer, Diabetes, Hypertension, Obesity, even Traffic accidents can lead to chronic diseases and psychological disorders. Some diseases such as Cancer can be cured if it is recognised at the early stages but for hypertension there is no cure.
In order to reduce the amount of chronic diseases the best medicine is “Prevention”. Another way is to do lots of exercise as lack of exercise leads to such types of diseases. The cost of taking the medicines is too high and for that reason, prevention is the best cure. One needs to modify one’s lifestyle, have a better diet avoiding starchy food and give up smoking all together. Avoid watching TV while eating and also avoid junk food in order to get rid of such diseases. But, the most important thing is “Prevention”.
Q5.What improvements would you include in Medical Science?
Answer. Prevention should be included in Medical Science which would reduce the amount of chronic diseases such as Diabetes etc. One should avoid using painkillers too. TV Ads should include information regarding medicines, awareness of diseases etc and the common man should watch these rather than spending their time on serials which would just affect their health, bringing in tension. Information, Education and Communication are the three important means to improve upon Medical Science.
Q6. How do you handle the workload stress in emergency situations?
Answer. Firstly, one should know where the Emergency room is and assess the patient immediately and upgrade the past records of that patient and be most importantly, organised in every way. One shouldn’t waste the time in calling the relatives etc if its an accident etc, rather delegate the work to the subordinates as much as possible, so as to avoid stress and strain and concentrate more on the patient.
Q7. What are the key challenges of your field of medicine?
Answer. I’m specialised in Public Health and that is why I believe in Prevention is better than cure. One should create a trust in the patients and catch their attention which is a tough task for any doctor. One should be able to sit up and listen to the problems of the patients and then bring in solutions by convincing them.
If I tell a patient that in 20 years you would be prone to dangerous diseases and they should take the medicines prescribed to them, they might not listen to you until and unless they face it. So, in order to avoid their neglect, one needs to catch their attention and convince them of the consequences.
Q8. What is your philosophy towards work?
Answer. One needs to be Proactive. Anticipate as to what would go wrong. Believe that nothing could go wrong then, everything that you do becomes easier than before.
Q9. What is the most pressing problem in Medicine?
Answer. The commercialisation of medicine is the most pressing problem in Medicine.
Q10. How do you create trust in your patients and how do you approach them?
Answer. One needs to be a good listener which is a very important quality of a Doctor. Most of the time, a patient’s problems can be solved just by listening to them as they are unable to talk to anyone in their family circle or relatives, friends etc. They just come to talk about their problems and it is the duty of the doctor to update the records of the patient and remember them in order to create a trust in them. It is also not possible to create trust in the patient in the first meeting but within three meetings, one can create that trust just by listening to their problems.
Q11. How is your time management in your profession?
Answer. One needs to be multitasked especially in this field as one can be called any time and one needs to be on duty whenever called. In my case, I’m quite lucky to have a good help at home so tensions related to familial problems are reduced to a great extent and when at work I would be completely dedicated to work only. My timings at workplace is from 8am to 2pm but after that also I would be called in between but as I have had a disciplined life since I worked in the Army wherein I was called from 7:30 am onwards.
Q12.Do you think people in the health profession give something back to the community?
Answer. First of all, one needs to earn a living and that is the reason why one goes for a job and secondly, patients are the next concern for a doctor because they are working for the welfare of theirs for which they are paid. But, there are exceptions as some of the doctors completely dedicate their life towards the welfare of the patients, improving the life of the patient and bringing in happiness in their life. So, it depends upon the doctors.
Q13.What is your most successful accomplishment at work so far?
Answer. My most successful accomplishment rather I would say my experience was in Jaisalmer where I served as an Army Doctor. During the rainy season, there were cases of Malaria for which sanitary inspections were done due to my orders given and also I had complained to the nearby places as to keep their places clean as far as possible by knocking their doors myself, gave orders to the Station Commander to do something to avoid the spread of the disease. I also made a spot map of the camp so as to find out the areas where one needs to concentrate on and where it was waterlogged.
Q14.What prompts you to take up the services of NGO in the future?
Answer. Manpower and money is what everyone desires but there is a population outside who need more help than anyone else. They are people who are denied most of the rights and are unaware about everything what is going on. In order to improve their status, one needs to interact with them, bring in awareness in them about the pros and cons of life. I had done a research on the topic “Quality of Life” and “Cost of Living” in Trivandrum
Q16.What is your message or suggestions to the youth?
Answer. Keep yourself busy and never be idle so that unwanted thoughts don’t crop up your mind and exercise a lot in order to avoid chronic diseases such as Obesity etc. Have lots of interaction with your family and share in all your problems with them rather than completely relying on your friends as their thoughts are the same as yours and solutions would not be appropriate.