Most of the clinics are very small that even your bathroom and the spiritual room would be bigger. All that clinic need to have is a private room to see the patient and a small waiting area with plastic chairs. You can make out the brands the doctor endorse from the colourful pamphlets that the medical representatives have offered.
But why do I call them 'every day heroes': because he is someone whom you almost surrender to when you or your parents or your kid fall sick. When you come back home, with the prescription and the pills, you almost carry a confidence, that 'this (ailment) too shall pass'.
Have you noticed that whenever you waited in the small area, the other patients also have similar ailments - seasonal flu. When you cough, someone orchestrates to your tune and you hear an accompanying cough. If you were wearing sweater, you see the other guy also has a similar attire.
I never found a clinic doctor talking over mobile phone - never distracted. But you will see the other professionals getting or making calls during the duty hours.
We have a family doctor, and also our family friend in our native place. We also got to a doctor in Bangalore, next to our house who happened to be of my native origin. The paedtrician where we take our kid is very friendly and Tamil speaking.
The Bangalore doctor is very old, and so disciplined and he does not allow anyone talking as they wait. Mobile ringing and conversations are discouraged. The first thing he would say is 'Dont take bath!' (such advices are boon to me). His clinic is very simple, dull looking and no high tech gadgets. Another paedtrician whom I met recently had a title 'Adolescent consultant' - something I came across the first time.
Some doctors charge as less as Rs.30. While in hospitals, they - the same doctor - charge Rs.200.
