1. Working towards Excellence in Anesthesia
Yoo Kuen Chan, Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 59100 Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia
Email: chanyk@ummc.edu.my
Excellence refers to the less well defined attribute in a provider beyond the acquisition of adequate
knowledge and fluency of skills. It encompasses the special attribute that modifies behavior and attitude
which drives good high quality care. This would ultimately benefit not only patients but eases the
relationship with colleagues and self.
The components of excellence differentiate the excellent providers from those where technical skills are
emphasized. It embodies attributes that are tacit and many are best described as non-technical skills in a
provider that allows them to perform like a maestro with ease and flow, makes correct and precise
decision, prioritize care correctly and communicate these effectively to the relevant stake holders of
care.
In order to arrive at this state of delivery of care, one has to train oneself to turn explicit knowledge and
skills into implicit or tacit knowledge. This can be done through continued focus on the body of
knowledge and skills through continued discussion, reflection and internalization.
Additional attributes of professionalism include the ability to provide care with integrity and empathy,
making good accountable decisions in managing our everyday tasks and working as a great team player.
This is in keeping with the variety of roles we play as a physiologic artist looking after the needs of our
patients, a Samaritan, when we treat the patient as a person, a servant in the hospital system and a
coordinator in the operation theatre team.