Thread by @optionurol

The Locksmith Paradox and Medicine

A Thread 🧵

#medicine #urology #surgery

@usioffice @YouthUSI @so_uro @docdilipmishra @rbsabnis @raggy_k @pprao @AnilElhence @Rahul79307822 @drkamaljeet @sanjaybkulkarni @DrSanjayPande10 @BAUSurology @AmerUrological @LoebStacy

There’s a locksmith who as he gets better, moves from assistant to master, ends up upsetting customers because he can fix their locks quickly.
The locksmith is saving - time and money for client. But they don't feel the value is there for money due to the shortened time input.

Fable says Pablo Picasso faced a similar paradox. One warm summer’s day he was sitting in a park when a woman recognised the artist, approached him, and insisted he sketch her. Smiling Picasso reached for his sketchpad and created her portrait with a single stroke of his pencil.

Looking at the sketch she was astonished; he had captured her very essence perfectly.
Then she enquired as to the price. “5000Fr” Picasso replied. “Why, that’s absurd!” she exclaimed.
“It took you only seconds to create my portrait.” “On the contrary it took my entire life.”

This paradox isn’t unique to the locksmith or Picasso, but rather applies directly even to hospitals today about where the true value of the Doctor lies, in the time or the results.

First let us discuss the Hospital Administration - Doctor relationship.

The emphasis is on Numbers in OPD and Surgeries that must be accomplished on a weekly, monthly, or yearly basis. The Bottom Line must be met. The Minimum Guarantee must be superseded. The measure for success in the job is who accomplishes them regularly, The Star Performers.

Perception of value often gets put on the time it takes to accomplish, not the result itself.


This perception creates an unofficial measure of ‘doing your job’, and is built by both colleagues and hospital administrators.

The hospital would want you to spend full 10 hours in hospital even if you have finished your job in 4. Just like our locksmith friend, it makes people feel better to have greater time input than the actual results.

Now let us look at an example from a doctor - patient relationship point of view. Suppose you were to operate for a stone ureter and the case turns out to be straightforward, you go in, remove the stone and even if you place a stent, are in and out in 10 minutes.

If the attendants see the doc coming out in 10 minutes, they feel they are being overcharged. They are happier when it takes 90 minutes, thinking they are getting value for money.

Knowing that every person is unique in their qualities, it is unrealistic to expect every person to work the exact same way and be equally productive.

Hospitals want to hire the best and the brightest people, yet once they are in the position, expect them to conform to the mold of control that the Hospital Administration wants rather than play to their strengths.

It’s time to start changing where we look for value. But how? By letting go of ‘fairness’ and growing in trust.

Showing fairness is often seen most in the rules on how people are required to work. Everyone should do equal amount of work.

So then it comes down to trust.
As an administrator. You should trust your doctor.
As a patient attendant, can you trust that your doctors will get the job done in the correct way? If the answer is no, then major factors at play in your mind, which put money over value.

There is a saying, ‘give your people a reason to do their best work every day’. Everyone operates differently, and does their best work differently. Does it really matter how fast your doctor is getting the job done, as long as it’s getting done in the correct fashion?

Allow Doctor’s to work to their strengths. Value them. Not take them only as a commodity you have a sale - purchase agreement with. This is for both Hospital - Doctor relationship and Doctor - Patient relationship

End

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