I was recently at a well-known hospital for a follow-up consultation when I noticed an elderly couple standing hesitantly near the billing counters, visibly uncertain about the procedure they were expected to follow. What struck me was the absence of anyone attentive enough to recognise their discomfort and assist them. My wife, standing some distance away, sensed their unease and quietly walked forward to help. A little later, I saw the same couple again at the coordinator’s desk, trying to make sense of a junior doctor’s instructions. They returned a few minutes later, still uncertain about the directions. The doctor repeated the explanation politely, though a trace of irritation had now entered his voice. Nearby, another young doctor was explaining something to a rustic-looking patient with far less patience and sensitivity.

A few days later, in another reputed hospital, I witnessed a........

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