My generation remembers the time of “The Beatles” that in our time were at the end of their career. Talking about what will happen next, its leader John Lennon said: “Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans”.

One of the greatest minds of mankind Albert Einstein, talking about life and human as a being said that “only the human is gifted by nature to create new values. If we never face any risks while creating new values​​, this actually means that we haven’t even tried to do something new. We shouldn’t automatically give up everything and limit our possibilities because of the risk. What we should do is to previously reveal the weakest chain links of possible risk events as far as possible and to devote special attention to them. Thus, we can quickly and efficiently react to errors in order to reduce their consequences”.

The risk hurts the most when its health-related

Because of its lack of definition, chameleon texture and versatility, the risk is a hardly predictable category. It is present in natural and social sciences. It is present in everyday life and events, as well as in rare scientific achievements, however it is most sensitive and most painful when it appears in human health.

My health-related cardiovascular risk event happend suddenly, unexpectedly and unannounced with no previous symptoms, during my regular and favorite hiking on the Vodno mountain. Now, while I think about which were the weak links in my health chain, even though I didn’t belong to any so-called risk group, came to the conclusion that stress factors and genetics may be the most specified causes for the occurrence of this kind of health problem. It was simply proved that “after reaching the age of 50 years old, your body gets its own mind”.

I am happy for my decision

In those moments knowing that: “the heart is the most precious thing you should only give in the hands of someone who knows how to keep it”, and considering the Napoleonic saying that: “each subsequent second offers you choice and every decision you make in that second can determine the following day or most years forward” and that: “between the terms too early and too late there is nothing more than one moment” I chose Acibadem Sistina Hospital, Department of Cardiology.

Today, I am especially happy that I’ve made the right decision. Why? Because I had the distinct possibility of a manager’s perspective, to see all the highly professional, ethical and human values ​​that the team of doctors gave to every patient.

It is simply, a flawless functionality

I was able to assure how a quality team, at its highest level of competence and professionalism, manages risky cardiovascular events in all its phases – since its detection and diagnosis,  measuring its intensity, rapid establishment of control and insuring against possible additional undesirable negative effect to the last the phase of its efficient and successful removal and minimizing its effects. It is simply, a flawless functionality.

My first contact was with Dr. Marina Jurukovska, who quickly and effectively defined the first two phases of my cardiovascular problem and began the preparations for the next stage in coordination with the nurses Natalia and Marina. Dr. Oliver Bushletik was additionally included in the process, who took the overall responsibility for an effective implementation of the final phases of the process.

What remained as a special memory of this intervention process was the highly professional routine, accompanied with a dose of humor, which created a feeling of courage and confidence that everything will be all right. If you could create a sense of courage and confidence for the patient and to be precise, careful and cautious at the same time is called the art of success, which these doctors possess.

The doctors worked as a whole

 

The days that followed brought further positive managerial views. The entire team of doctors from the Cardiology Department, despite Dr. Jurukovska and Dr. Bushletik: Dr. Hristovski, Dr. Dimitrovski, Dr. Projevska, Dr. Kovacevik, Dr. Trajkov, Dr. Bongard-Meshkoska and Dr. Dushkoski worked as a whole. Given the impeccable organization and informing manner, no matter who was working, he/she accurately and precisely took full care for each patient individually. The transparency and knowledge about the health condition of the patients and their collegiality and unity, are their biggest values ​​and characteristics as a team.

The nursing and hospital staff also showed high professionalism and responsibility in the performance of their duties. The feelings they develop for each “gentleman” patient, with their care and kindness, have specific and real values. Their concern for timely and accurate recording of all the necessary therapeutic and laboratory values ​​were a function of timely and profound completion of the actions log for each patient individually.

The auxiliary staff gets the credit for the impeccable personal and spatial hygiene and neatness. They didn’t allow anything to go missing, and their attention and patience grew into a professional friendship with each of the patients, even though some of us were very annoying in our requirements. The high professionalism and responsibility are their main characteristics.

You gave me faith, hope and love

From a manager’s point of view, the only way to finish one thing entirely, successfully, correctly and professionally is not to see who will gather all its merits, but to be satisfied and rewarded for its achievements. The golden rule of any profession is: “Put yourself in the shoes of the client or services user” Therefore, Acibadem Sistina Hospital should be proud of its team from the Cardiology Department and of the contribution that they have and give to the public health and Macedonian citizens.

Biblically speaking, while I was at the Department of Cardiology, I received the three largest biblical values: love, faith and hope and the whole team of doctors confirmed the thought of Prof. Dr. Salis Tadzer, who was also interested in my recovery, that “being a doctor is not a profession, it’s lifestyle.”

Health, love and happiness take precedence

Today, as time passes from this life experiential event and as my impressions settle, one personal view of mine strongly confirmes itself. Namely, even though my education and professional engagement are at all times associated with risks from economic and banking categories in the field of ​​money, money is not the most important thing in the world. Health, love and happiness take precedence.

Life can be truly understood if you look at it backwards, but should be lived looking forwards. It’s like driving a car. You must look ahead to know where you are going and see in the rearview mirror to know what is happening behind you, while doing all that in the present.

We live between the moments of past and future and that is why we should enjoy the time between these two moments. Each new day is the first day of the rest of our lives. Life is long enough if you know how to use it wise and if you see it as a dance floor. If the dance floor is large enough, many will start dancing. Moreover, some will hit the beat and some will have to learn that they need to change the rhythm, because life is constantly changing.

From a patient point of view I will conclude with a philosophical thought about life: “in life, man usually fights for two things: the first is to achieve what he wants and the second is to enjoy what he has achieved, while the basic rule for every success is enjoying the support of your family and loved ones”.

 

Prof. Dr. Dragoljub Arsovski

Board President of TTK Banka