Better Health 34 ENG

+++++ M.D. Focus
Get to know our doctors
Providing the highest standards of patient care requires
a hospital-wide commitment and professional expertise.
Meet four Bumrungrad doctors who share their thoughts on
a range of healthcare topics. Bumrungrad’s medical staff
includes over 1,300 world-class doctors of high caliber,
with outstanding professional credentials and advanced
training across the full spectrum of medical sub-specialties.
Dr. Sumroeng Neti,
Surgeon specializing in Orthopedics
Dr. Sumroeng graduated at the
top of his class with honors from the
Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital,
Mahidol University, achieving top ranks
in examinations to become a qualified
orthopedic surgeon.
Why did you choose to study
Hand and Microsurgery?
There are only two things that make
humans superior to other living beings:
first is the brain, and second are the
hands. The hands are such a vital part
of the body, yet many overlook this fact
until they face circumstances in which
they can no longer use their hands as
they once did. Hand surgery is very
complex and requires special ability.
For example, the replantation of digits
20
requires the reconnection of tiny blood
vessels – and not just anybody is capable
of doing it. I enjoy the challenge and am
thankful that I can help so many people.
In the first two years of my profession,
I replanted digits for about one hundred
patients.
What principle or philosophy
guides your work?
I devote myself to my duty as a
surgeon with sincerity and being straightforward.
Despite being a surgeon, I always
teach my students to choose surgery as
the last option, provided that there
are no better alternatives. Our working
philosophy is to cure our patients
without surgery, but if it is necessary
we need to do our best and this professional
honesty gains patients’ trust.
Along with conducting weekly
training sessions for new physicians,
Dr. Sumroeng also holds the positions
of vice-chairman of the Thai Society
for Surgery of the Hand, as well as being
a member of the committee of the
Thai Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery,
and secretary of the Thai
Society for Spinal Surgery. He was
formerly the vice president of the Royal
College of Orthopedic Surgeons of
Thailand under the Royal Patronage
of His Majesty the King.
Dr. Pitsanu Kerdsinchai,
Physician specializing in Cardiology
Dr. Pitsanu graduated from the
Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai
University, before pursuing further
education in Coronary Angioplasty and
Stenting in Belgium. He has worked with
Bumrungrad International Hospital for
over twenty years. He is considered one of
the best-skilled and most experienced
cardiologists in Thailand.
What is the greatest challenge
of being a cardiologist?
The greatest challenge in a cardiologist
is working against time. Delay in
treating emergency patients with acute
coronary syndrome runs the risk of
causing the cardiac muscles to slowly
die. Not only does a patient need to arrive
quickly at the hospital, the medical team
also needs to act fast. The hospital’s
operation rooms must be ready 24 hours
a day. In this respect, a coronary angioplasty
can be performed at Bumrungrad
within an hour of the patient’s arrival.
We can say that Bumrungrad meets
the criteria of delivering treatment at
world-class speed.
What is your work philosophy?
Successful treatment requires trust
between doctors and patients. A review
of the patient’s medical history is vital.
When the doctor knows everything
about the patient’s health, he or she can
give a more accurate diagnosis. But if
the patient has no confidence or trust
and does not provide all the necessary
information, then the physician will be
unaware of key facts, and that may lead
to misdiagnosis. Therefore, we need to
first gain the patients’ trust. Additionally,
our healthcare providers should regard
patients as if they are family, and treat
them as best as we can.