January 01, 2007

Israeli medical doctor

Victoria Zaharov, M.D.,
internal medicine specialist
in one of her three Tel Aviv offices

My 2007 resolution is to promote shamelessly the outstanding service providers with whom I engage in Israel. In this, my first post in the new series, I bring you "Dr. Vicky," as she invites patients to call her. If ever a photo speaks volumes, I direct your attention to her smile, the flowers and candles, the stylish attire and coordinating jewelry, the cleavage. What my camera missed is the bowl of candies on her desk and the art on the walls.

Dr. Vicky, whose medical education began in the former Soviet Union and was followed by an internship and a residency in Israel, works for two of Israel's national health insurance organizations. Her waiting rooms are filled with speakers of Russian, Hebrew, English, Swedish, and nearly every other language spoken in this polyglot nation. Yet when my scheduled turn comes and she replies "Kanes" [enter] to my knock on her office door, her wide smile and warm "Ahhh, Shalom, Tamar" tell me that I am her sole focus and concern, and that she is happy to see me.

Yet Dr. Vicky is not all smiles, incense, and cleavage. In my letter (in Hebrew, shown at the end of this post) to the medical director of the Tel Aviv headquarters of the health organization I belong to, I noted that "Dr. Zaharov is ... consistently professional, pleasant, industrious, patient, intuitive, gentle, helpful, and attentive. She listens carefully and answers questions and gives instructions in clear and simple language. ..." I asked the director to forward my letter to Dr. Vicky, who then emailed me —

HI Tamar!!

Thank you very much! [...] Moshe sent me you letter. [...] Thank you! It was so pleasure to read your letter. I"ll be glad to assist you in future. just targishi tov [feel good].

Dr. Vicky Zaharov

For her wonderful help and kind heart, I celebrate my doctor.

And, dear reader, in the comments section below, please share your experiences of outstanding service providers in Israel and anywhere else!

הנדון ד"ר ויקי זכרוב

מאז חודש פברואר 2005, ד"ר ויקי זכרוב משמשת כרופאתי. מצאתי בה מקצוענית בעליל, נעימת הליכות אישיות ובעלת תושיה המיטיבה לנצל משאבים. ד"ר ויקי הנה ידידותית תמיד, סבלנית, חדת תפישה, עדינה, עוזרת ואוזן קשבת. ד"ר זכרוב מאזינה בקפידה, עונה לשאלות ומוסרת הוראות ומידע בשפה ברורה ובלתי-אמצעית.

נא להכיר בד"ר זכרוב בזכות שרותה יוצא הדופן וציינו באמצעות העתק מכתבי בתיקה האישי.

בברכת תודה,
תמר אורבל

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is always so nice to read about the good people around us. Keep on with your project, Tamar. Well done.
BTW "Kanes" is a very common mistake among all Israelis. "Kanes" actually mean "gather" while "Hikanes" means "enter".

Tamar Orvell said...

Thank you, Shimon, for your signature support for good people and my efforts at hakarat hatov [noticing and crediting them]. Thanks, also, for the Hebrew lesson! When I knocked on Dr. Vicky's office door yesterday, she answered, Ken [yes]. Still, I shared your word distinctions, and she was pleased to have them. She also told me that she got a letter from the director of one of the health organizations she works for, calling her an "Internet star."

Dr. Vicky, an exemplar of enthusiastic service provision and personal modesty, didn't know how the post came to him. Funny, how cyberspace wraps us all in its content.