Values for a Healthcare professional

Q.1 Sir, What do we understand by the term “values” for a healthcare professional?
A.1 Well… Values can be considered as principles or beliefs of a healthcare professional that will guide them towards accomplishing their duty in a rightful and ethically appropriate manner. In fact, such values underline  the  standard code of ethics for the professional. We need to appreciate the fact that these values serve as mandatory guidelines, which are frequently  utilised as an appropriate basis to evaluate the true virtues of the professional. You would love to hear that several of these professional values are derived from personal values, which the person might have imbibed from family, culture,  or the environment. Well Shaswath……Values need to be inculcated into a  fledgling medical professional  like you  in order to enhance the value of healthcare professionals in the  society. 
Q.2 What are the values that a healthcare professional must possess?
A.2 In healthcare and related professions, human values are of utmost importance. These values include altruism, autonomy, accountability, commitment to integrity and ethical practice, commitment to excellence, compassion, equality, justice, professionalism, respect for persons, patient safety and trustworthiness1 .

Q.3 Of these, which are the values that are the most important for a healthcare professional?
A.3 Yes rightly asked. Given the current equation between patients and healthcare providers, it is imperative that we give our best to instil faith in our patients. What I mean is that through our actions and words, we should nurture faith in the minds of our patients. The universal values of “first do no harm”, “Keep it simple” & “honesty is the best policy” should always be kept in mind. Our goal should be to alleviate the suffering of patients while depicting the values of compassion, sensitivity, mutual respect & robust professionalism2. What I want to emphasise here is that It is of immense importance that the patients’ trust in healthcare professionals remain  firm& unhindered. We should epitomise  benevolence and refrain from portraying  a materialistic approach. Having said that, it is of equal significance that patients and their relatives exhibit moral values of respect and trust towards the healthcare professionals. Hence, it is the two way interaction that would confer the maximum benefit in alleviating the distress and pain of the patients.

Q.4 How can practising physicians and surgeons, and young budding doctors  incorporate these important values into their lives?
A.4 Yes, this is very important. ]The medical field is a never-ending journey involving constant learning and evolving ideals. In this process, professors, and mentors play a notable role in shaping and moulding healthcare professionals. The role and importance of these values need to be firmly embedded into the teaching curriculum3. Such values have to be inculcated among them during the learning phase. It is the role of us - the teachers, to guide them towards the successful acquisition & development of these values.
Q.5 How do these values translate into better patient care?
A.5 Adopting these values will help us, to understand the agony of our patients, listen patiently to their suffering in a compassionate manner, and explain to them the disease process in an empathetic way4. We heal ailing people through medications as well as compassionate care. At times, words of empathy and kindness tend to heal more than drugs. Hope you have understand that.

Q.6 What is the role of these values within the healthcare system?
A.6 Interpersonal communication is one of the key aspects of healthcare. Good communication among healthcare professionals plays an integral part in patient care5. A good chain of communication ensures elimination of clinical error and beneficial collaborative work, in the best interest of the patient. Healthcare providers should ensure accurate transmission of information both within the concerned department and among departments.

Q.7 Will the current COVID-19 scenario affect the values of a healthcare professional?
A.7 You have asked a very good and valid question that is especially relevant during this pandemic. In the context of the present situation being encountered by healthcare professionals, I would like to quote a very famous proverb, “Tough times never last, but tough people do”. We are facing an unprecedented pandemic, and the most important thing we need to do is to stand together, and stand strong.  We need to firmly adhere  to our values and treat the needy with compassion and a humane approach. Hope I have answered your question.
CLOSING -= Shas – Yes sir. Thank you. That was indeed a very enlightening and useful discussion.
Me- Thank you shaswath. Hope the   budding doctors can take note of all these values  and move forward .   I feel quite happy and pleased to tell that the values that we are talking about  are being practised presently  at Sri BalajiVidyapeeth (Deemed to be University). I do strongly believe that if we need to impress upon someone, we need to follow such tenets in all earnestness and am so happy and proud to state that SBV has shown the way to others in this regard. Let us tread on this chosen path with conviction and commitment. If we continue to do so, I am quite sure that SBV would serve as a torch bearer  of  the much needed values that all health care professionals should necessarily portray in their sacred journey towards promoting holistic health and well being.    I would like to conclude this podcast by saying, “ The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others”.
Thank you. Jai hind.

REFERENCES
1.Moyo, M., Goodyear-Smith, F.A., Weller, J. et al. Healthcare practitioners’ personal and professional values. Adv in Health SciEduc 21, 257–286 (2016).
2.Al-Banna DA. Core professional and personal values of nurses about nursing in Erbil city hospitals: a profession, not just career. Nurse Care Open Acces J. 2017;2(6):169-173
3.   Rider, E. A., Kurtz, S., Slade, D., Longmaid, H. E., Ho, M.-J., Pun, J. K., … Branch, W. T. (2014). The International Charter for Human Values in Healthcare: An interprofessional global collaboration to enhance values and communication in healthcare. Patient Education and Counseling, 96(3), 273–280.
4.   Jonathan M. Evans. The Changing Ethics of Health Care. Caring for ages , The society for post-acute and long term care medicine. July 2016 Volume 17, Issue 7, Page 12
5.Poorchangizi, B., Farokhzadian, J., Abbaszadeh, A. et al. The importance of professional values from clinical nurses’ perspective in hospitals of a medical university in Iran. BMC Med Ethics 18, 20 (2017)