Being Doctor = Exempted Color Coding

[OTEP]

Bakit? siya lang ba ang doctor sa ospital na yun?

No. But that particular patient could be HIS/HER patient. Ethics and ettiquete dictates that if a patient with a known attending physician comes into a hospital, it's his physician that will treat him. Emergency personell will only go as far as to stabilize him, but its the attending that will execute definitive management.

Also, some cases require specialist management. Just how many thoracovascular surgeons actually hang around in your typical hospital? In some smaller hospitals, the TCVS is only on call. Likewise with neurosurgeons.

Anesthesiologists (e.g. smooth) are also on call. How can you operate without one? Yes, there may be one on duty but if the patient is smooth's private case, he has to be there.

Same case with OB-GYN's. There's always an OB in most hospitals. But for private cases, it will be the OB you have been having your check ups for the past 9 months that will deliver your baby no matter what time you suddenly feel like giving birth. We've had OB's rush to the ER in their sleepwear just to make it to a patient.

These little intricacies are pretty hard to explain to non-medical persons so most of the time we just let people think what they want to think. As long as we are doing our jobs, doing our best, and saving lives I really wouldn't give a sh!t if other motorists think I'm just power-tripping and abusing the UUVRP.

[drey]

What about nurses?

So to cut it short... Exempted ang mga doctors sa mga color-coding?

[OTEP]

Drey, nurses don't have private cases. hehehe. Even PDN's are not exempted since PDN's are not really responding to emergencies. :D

Yes, doctors are exempted from the UUVRP. Aside from the PRC ID, I was also issued by an ID stating the fact. But the PRC ID is enough proof. Kung makulit talaga ang apprehending officer, isasama ko na lang siya para wala nang satsat! Bahala na siya bumalik pagkatapos.

Kung mas masipag ang doctor, he can also get an exemption from the MMDA office.

Here was [never renewed it] mine:

[DonT]

How about if the doctors who are in an emergency have their lights and blinkers on and honk their way through the traffic like how the Ambulances and Escorted Gov't vehicles do in the streets. I beleive this is accepted by everybody.

I think no policeman or traffic aide would stop any vehicle in this emergency mode (lights, blinkers, honking) even though its banned during that hour.

So that there will be no more comments na baka di naman emergency yung doctor..nagmamadali lang umuwi. just a thought.

[OTEP]

Yes. But as I've posted earlier, badges/markings/decals stating that the vehicle is a doctor's is not only for exemption from the UVVRP. Doctors' vehicles have always had badges since the early years of the automobile. Even in other countries without a UVVRP. That's part of culture already. Sort of like a secret handshake between those in the profession. It was never meant to intimidate or overpower other road users.

[DonT]

^The intentions are definitely noble. But on the other hand, these so called badges/markings/decals are not regulated and can easily be misused.

If they were regulated, I think there's no need na magpakita pa nang PRC. Kasi its a hassle to be flagged down just to show the PRC ID.

Anyway, I think nobody is against exempting doctors who are in an emergency to be exempted sa color coding.

I think what excites most people is the fact na maaring di naman doctor ang nakasakay or di naman emergency ang trip nung doctor.

[smooth]

yup i'm an anesthesiologist. i'm posting at 1:27 am because i just got home from an emergency OR. i'm still too awake from the case kaya hindi pa ako makatulog.

actually, i have a "coding" car. i use this kapag coding day yung regular car ko. kaya lang minsan, inaabot talaga. a relative will borrow the coding car and i'd get an emergency call on a day na coding ang regular car ko. no choice but to use the regular car on the coding day. honestly bihirang bihira ito. kadalasan talaga kapag coding ang regular car ko, i use the "coding" car.

but i know a lot of fellow physicians who have one car and they have no choice but to use this car on its coding day.

[kinyo]

ok lang exempted mga doktor sa color-coding kahit hindi emergency ... the nature of their job necessitates some consideration from the public

[Dr.Kamiya]

I believe this is one of those situations where we are obliged to give the other person the benefit of the doubt. For granting MDs exemption from the UVVRP this can, and will be abused, but if that occasional abuse means even one life can be saved, then I'm all for it.

Sometimes it's not just about "malalamangan tayo" if we grant them the privilege.

[Dr.Kamiya]

OT: WTF is UUVRP?

MMDA REGULATION NO. 96-005: UNIFIED VEHICULAR VOLUME REDUCTION PROGRAM

[froshie1]

Ispare nyo na ang mga doctor. Nareplyan na ni OTEP sa post#22 at post#24.

Isa itong case na dapat bigyan ng benefit of the doubt pagdating sa mga siraulong nag duduktor duktoran o sa mga doctor na hindi naman emergency kasi buhay ng tao ang nakataya dito. OOopps tapos babalik na naman tayo doon sa marami namang doctor sa ospital eh, tignan nyo na lang iyong post# 22 ni Otep.

[Galactus]

No problem naman exempting doctors on an emergency case from the UVVRP. But how do you differentiate emergency from non-emergency? Kung kailangan talaga sila at coding day at wala silang ibang sasakyan, mas mabilis siguro kung taxi na lang.

Pero gaya nga ng sinabi ng isang poster dito, in a real emergency case, hindi na kailangang hintayin ang personal physician. Like others, we have doctors in the family too, some are private practitioners, but most are detailed sa hospitals, and I can tell you that all of them have circumvented the UVVRP. Nagmamalaki pa nga na naisahan nila ang MMDA.

My father-in-law was rushed to the UDMC 2 months ago due to a stroke. Hindi na namin hinintay ang family doctor, nung ni-rush sa ER, we just let the ER staff make the decisions until he was stabilized. Our doctor visited him that day, 8 hours after we rushed him there. Same thing with my kid brother years ago, during his appendectomy. Since malapit na raw pumutok, hindi na namin hinintay yung relative naming surgeon and anesthesiologist practicing in that hospital. We just let the hospital staff do their job with their available personnel, including the operation. And those are real emergency cases.

Its only sad na medyo na single out and doctors dito..but as far as I am concerned, whether Brain Surgeon, Architect, Engineer or isa kang simpleng Juan dela cruz...if you are trully on an emergency case..just put your blinkers on and honk your way through..even on a red light.

I think that the Color Coding rule is least of a concern when anybody is truly in an emergency..my 2 cents.

This one I agree 100%. Nuff said.

[wiretap_md]

Well said Otep.

It all boils down to the morals and convictions of the doctor. If I use my "privileged and noble profession" status in society just to be able to get one over a MMDA officer, sayang lang ang 13 years of medical education (to this day) ko. I didn't study and sacrifice that long just for that.

The welfare of the patient is always in the highest regard of a physician. If he deems his patient's condition as one that he has to attend to at the soonest possible time, then let him be. He/she will never be able to please everyone. Who can anyway? But if it meant being able to save a life or alleviate a patient's suffering, then that is justified.

[TheShrike]

Cheers to the doctors in this thread.

I don't think doctors would slave for 12-14 years, just so they can get the privilege of being exempted from color coding. having said that, one has to exercise responsibility, and not abuse this so-called "privilege". Besides, there are other ways to break traffic rules, i.e. not stopping at stop signs, not stopping at pedestrian crossings, breaking red lights etc. I'm sure, many of us are guilty of this. I've had trauma cases that were a result of traffic violations, and I had to attend to them during my coding days.

If one begrudges doctors for having MD decals on their cars, and driving around on a coding day, one should hope that he will not require emergency medical services that require such "privilege" for a doctor to come to his help. My 0.02.

[smooth]

not everyone who responds to medical emergencies are doctors ...
paano kaming mga biomedical engineers? when the medical equipment is down ... walang magagawa ang mga doctors while the patient is on the table.

please pardon my ignorance but i am completely curious: anong medical equipment ang kapag nag-down ay "walang magagawa ang mga doctors while the patient is on the table?"

thanks in advance

[smooth]

I don't think doctors would slave for 12-14 years, just so they can get the privilege of being exempted from color coding. having said that, one has to exercise responsibility, and not abuse this so-called "privilege". Besides, there are other ways to break traffic rules, i.e. not stopping at stop signs, not stopping at pedestrian crossings, breaking red lights etc. I'm sure, many of us are guilty of this. I've had trauma cases that were a result of traffic violations, and I had to attend to them during my coding days.

trauma team? action junkie

i had this case dati, stab wound sa chest. ang ginamit ng assailant yung matalas na bagay sa nailcutter. crime of passion talaga. almost ruptured the pulmonary artery. needless to say, akala ko mauuna pa akong bumigay sa pasyente. ang toxic!

[jiyumaico]

What can I say, niky is right on the money.

And that decal/badge/marking is not only for being exempt from the UUVRP. For three generations, all of our vehicles have worn a badge to identify it as a doctor's vehicle. Eh, wala naman UUVRP noong 1946 diba?

One of the reasons for marking a doctor's vehicle is that the law, at least in writing, guarantees the doctor's vehicle the same rights as a fully-marked ambulance when responding to a medical emergency. As early as the second year of medical school, this will be taught already under the subject of Legal Medicine.

As for abuse, yes it is open to abuse. But would you waste more than 10 years of your life trying to be a doctor just to be exempted from the color coding? Maglagay ka na lang ng decal ng pulis o kaya TV station!

The only 'doctor' I know that loved abusing the UUVRP was NTV-777, and he got out of med school by the 2nd year so I don't think he counts.

when i was shopping sa divvisoria before.dun sa katabi ng suking tindahan namin napansin ko yung isang van L300 nila na may permit sa pagka exempt sa coding na nakalagay sa windshield. so curious lang, kinausap ko may ari.pwede pala yun. pero 2 or 3 months lang yata validity period at may processing fee na 500+ or something. mag apply na lang sana mga doktor ng ganun. para mai assess mabuti ng kinauukulan kung dapat iexempt. para naman fair sa lahat.

[Gumusut_Amige]

I don't think doctors would slave for 12-14 years, just so they can get the privilege of being exempted from color coding. having said that, one has to exercise responsibility, and not abuse this so-called "privilege". Besides, there are other ways to break traffic rules, i.e. not stopping at stop signs, not stopping at pedestrian crossings, breaking red lights etc. I'm sure, many of us are guilty of this. I've had trauma cases that were a result of traffic violations, and I had to attend to them during my coding days.

my thoughts exactly! am not against on this privelege given to doctors and besides how many cases we sighted daily? IMHO, hindi ko na iisipin pa na naisahan ako kung sakali man may ma-encounter ako. tanong ko lang po, kahit sinong doctor po ba pwedeng mag-avail sa privelege na ito or just those specialists?

[niky]

RE: "not the only doctor".

Like I've said, and OTEP has said... when possible, the doctor has to be there for their private patient. Even if the patient may have records at the hospital, in an emergency situation, the patient's personal physician is more familiar with their case, and can help provide life-or-death information during the operation.

My aunt is not a surgeon. But she attends the surgeries of all her patients. Kagaya ng sabi ni Doc Otep... ethics and etiquette yun. But in some cases, it's also a practical necessity.

I have a family of doctors... and, true, there are some who abuse the color-coding privelege for non-emergency reasons. Those who are rich enough (not all doctors are rich enough to afford more than one car... some I know don't even have a first car)... have a second car for coding days, but you can't always be sure that it's available or in service.

But like I've said... you can't separate the abusers from the legitimate emergencies without holding up real emergencies. Not until they develop a way for police to remotely detect emergency vehicles or to have regulated emergency beacons that are linked to a central database. Unless the hospital flags the beacon on an ambulance, for example, as being "on emergency response", police will flag that vehicle down for abuse.

RE: Blinkers and horn... yes, this works... but the badge gives the vehicle extra visibility and makes traffic enforcers less likely to flag them down. If an enforcer sees a car with blinkers and horn on and it's color-coded for that particular day, there's still a percentage chance they'll stop the car if it doesn't have the badge. (This is from experience).

[drey]

Understood.

But to tell you honestly, my dr. brother just did this yesterday. No emergencies, nagalit nga ako eh! Coding kotse kasi and then he still wants to use the car kasi gusto nya i-try.

Sabi ko ulit, tsikoteers dont like it!