In this day and age, people have continuously used social media to air out their concerns and complaints, including the country’s inadequate healthcare system. For years, there have been netizens who have taken a liking to posting rants and uploading pictures of healthcare professionals online. This is unfortunate because even having a malpractice insurance can’t take away the indignity this brings.
Doctor shaming has become an unhealthy trend, not only for our healthcare team, but also for every Filipino. By posting these types of discriminating rants, it discourages healthcare aspirants in work for the country. Instead, it creates an unfair method of achieving justice.
Every Filipino deserves an efficient and effective medical service. Who wouldn’t want the best healthcare? However, doctor shaming is definitely not a path you want to take. Here’s some of the reasons why:
Medical professionals are humans too
As the famous saying by Confucius goes, “Do not do unto others what you don’t want others do unto you.” And it makes perfect sense! Empathy is something we should always practice. Think of what you would feel if the same happens to you.
There’s a proper channel for your issue
Do the most direct solution by calling the attention of the person. Posting something online exposes you and the person you have accused to so many possibilities and not the good kind. By airing your complaints online, you have given netizens the opportunity to be the judge on your case. There have been many doctor shaming posts which have backfired, ending up with both parties being cyberbullied.
It fosters distrust among doctors and patients
An effect of doctor shaming is the distrust it creates between doctors and their patients. This would only make it harder for both parties to successfully accomplish what they are supposed to. Doctors would have a hard time establishing rapport, while patients would have a hard time believing what doctors are trained to do.
According to a report, the ratio of doctors to patients in the Philippines is 1 to 33,000. With this in mind, an average Filipino doctor tends to take on 36-hour duties to compensate for understaffing of hospitals. This only point to one thing: our healthcare system is lacking.
