By Sanchari Pal
Bill is a middle-class man.
Bill wanted an operation for his hernia.
Bill got himself admitted to a private hospital for the operation.
On discharge, Bill found his hospital bills to be exorbitantly high.
Bill refused payment and beat up the doctor-in-charge thinking him to have framed such an expensive billing.
BILL IS STUPID. DO NOT BE LIKE BILL.
In light of the recent unrest at private hospitals, a lot of words have been exchanged. Some of them, very heated. However, most of them have converged on one redundant conclusion: doctors are money sharks and they exist in private hospitals for the sole purpose of emptying your pockets.
If one were to check statistics a little closely, one would see that only about 4% of a private hospital’s total profit goes into the pockets of a doctor. So, technically, only 4% of your exorbitant hospital bill is your doctor’s ‘fault’.
Why Are Private Hospitals So Expensive?
So, why are you paying so much? A hospital bill includes various aspects like bed charges, ventilation charges, ICU charges, medication charges, equipment charges, oxygen charges, OT charges etc. Of the myriad of charges included in a bill, nothing except the consultant’s fees and sometimes, the procedural charges reach the doctor treating you.
All the other charges are determined by the hospital administration of which the doctor is NOT a part and vary from place to place.
Let me make things clearer with an example. A coronary stenting procedure which is done for FREE at any government hospital, costs around 1.5 lakhs at a private hospital.
A similar picture exists in the antibiotic scene too. A very popular antibiotic used commonly in ICU set ups has been priced at 1271 INR by Zuventus Pharma and the every same product has been priced at 2140 INR by Cipla.
However, the common people are not supposed to be aware of such internal details. But the government is very much aware. Why then, does it never inquire into such discrepancies?
It is easier to use populist measures and threaten the doctors on the forefront rather than take the MNCs to task.
The Private Hospital Agitation in West Bengal
After the recent agitation at CMRI Hospitals followed by the complaints against Apollo Glen eagles, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has decided that the West Bengal Clinical Establishment Act has to be made more powerful so that the Government has greater powers while dealing with corporate hospitals.
A very welcome move, no doubt. But one cannot ignore the pressing need to improve the health infrastructure in the government hospitals first. The concept of a Welfare State no longer exists if a poor patient has to wait for one month for a simple operation.
The words welfare state becomes a joke when VIP cabins and CCU beds are occupied for days on end by people with ‘significant political connections’.
It is often complained of doctors that they have a predilection to work in private set ups. That is not surprising, given the quality of life a doctor has at a government establishment. Let me just highlight a few points:
They get paid peanuts for round-the-clock work. Work like administering an injection and bringing reports from the laboratory are done by doctors.
A junior doctor gets to sleep on bed bug infested beds and sometimes, no access to even hygienic toilets, which is an acute problem for the lady doctors.
A doctor sitting at a government hospital O.P.D. has to see a minimum of 80 patients per day, sometimes with a defunct fan, during the sweltering summer months.
There is one thing you need to understand, irrespective of the anti-physician fuel that the news channels have been feeding you. To a doctor, it is imperative that his/her patient gets better. And he/she is bound to do it at any cost.
Doctors take the Hippocratic Oath at a very young age which directs to put a sick patient above all else. No doctor, in their right minds, would ever do anything that would increment the misery of a patient.
So, the next time you are handed an exorbitantly expensive bill at a hospital, I would request you to delve deeper to hit the nail on the head.
Read On:
http://edtimes.in/2017/02/suffer-essential-tremors-heres-feel/
Frankly this has become more of a nuisance……you go to one of these hospitals, wait in line forever….the hospital / doctors think nobody except them have a job, pay some hefty fees (500-700 Rs for a 2 minute consultation…sorry there is a term for that… it’s called looting), then go for some expensive tests, which have no relevance whatsoever to your symptoms, again go back to the doctor with reports, again pay another 500-700 to show the reports and then get prescribed a long list of tablets, sprays, syrups and what not , then shell out a few thousand bucks to buy those……….again go back to fill the doctor’s pocket after 2 weeks……..
And in case you are unfortunate enough and is forced to admit your mom/dad/spouse/child to one of these hospitals, then God save you……..you will be charged for drinking water, charged for items. medicine they never used , charged multiple times for the same item and what not………..
AND YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO TELL ME IT”S NOT DOCTOR”S FAULT……..
Mr.ray plzz suggest how we should treat…we are looking up to you…we will be happy to accept suggestions…plzz..
Will you take my suggestion? I am honored ……. I can give you a suggestion how NOT to treat……..here’s one such example…will be waiting eagerly for your reply https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/26f78691b33ece5a53d2f0d393b2e0f272953fdce44830d4a001881cd8baa370.jpg
Wats ur profession. …u r also citizen of India u have all rights to bcom doctor ….. come on study nd b a consultant nd show u have guts …….no one has begged u to come nd get treated in their hospital …. have manners while talking about Nobel profession …. get details of consultation in usa …. how many day prior u need to get appointment
Which Nobel profession? Profession of looting? Ironically you replied to a comment of mine , where I shared a news article of 2 famous doctors being charged and proven guilty of criminal negligence of a patient, who died. The hospital has been asked to pay 12 lakh compensation to the victim’s spouse and one of the 2 doctors have been proven guilty………you probably could not read it , since it is in “Bengali”………..
And don’t preach me about healthcare in USA……in USA the govt will shutdown a hospital / clinic , if they refuse to treat a critically ill patient, because of his / her financial status……….I have personally been to doctor’s in USA and believe me they treat patient like human beings, not some cattle you experiment on………neither are they rude in their behavior, which many doctors in India are……….neither do US doctors have “uppity” attitude like Indian doctors, who think they are a special breed and be treated specially everywhere……..
So reserve your lecture to someone who worships your class blindly……..not me……….I do appreciate good doctors and I go to them for treatment…………..
How do you know that which test has which relevance??…for a common what is the relevance of cxr pa view in patient with nephrotic syndrome…or suppose a g6pd which meausures fragility to oxidative stress in a patient with leprosy….these investigations are done way away from their symptomps..ur harrison level knowledge is eagerly awaited…
500-700rs just fr 2 minute consultation??ur wrng..it takes a doctor 5 1/2 yrs (mbbs),3yrs(MD) and 3 more years (DM)..totally 11 1/2 yrs only in medical school…..500 rs is charged for his efficient work of diagnosis wich he does in 2min only aftr studyng fr 11-12 yrs in medical school…and in india,we the middle class family students pursuing medicine should apply for education loan starting frm MBBS…do u have any idea of fees for our entire course??no,i dnt thnk so..u just know only tat v r charging 500 rs for consultation wich u call as looting…
Since you gave a decent reply without making personal attacks or being terse, I will accept whatever you said………..however plz understand that when I as a patient go to a doctor with my problems, I except at least a basic level of empathy and expect the doctor to at least listen to my problems for a couple of minutes, before interrupting and asking “Tell me what’s your problem now”? What if my problem is chronic and I don’t have that problem at that very moment, when I am in the doctor’s chamber………..believe me, since I can afford it, I have no problem in shelling out 500-700 bucks, if I think the doctor gave me a patient hearing and is treating my symptoms well………….when I was a 2 yr old kid, a got hit by a speeding bike and fell unconscious on the road….. I was rushed to a hospital and faintly remember waking up in a doctor’s own house with lots of people surrounding me and stitches on my forehead and lips and chin…..i have the chin mark even today after 30 years………….I am forever indebted to that doctor………so yes it’s not that I hate all doctors…………I just find it very annoying when doctors treat patient like cattle………………
Then dont go to them!Who asked you to in the first place?
So should the govt cancel their license, since they are not interested in treating patients? So doctors will do whatever they like and nobody can question them? Bhai bhogoban naki doctor ra? Bhogoban chilo eksamay ………Bidhan Chandra Ray er moto doctor ra…..jara manush ke “taka banonor posha janowar” na, manush bolei bhabten………oath neyar por common man ke lootchen………lojjao kore na apnader………abar boro boro katha……..I am against violence, but majhe majhe bhuji loke keno khepe jay……….
For ur kind information@RAY…..INDIA IS THE ONLY NATION TO PROVIDE YOU PATIENTS WITH all the possible medical amenities and treatment and diagnosis by US(Doctors) at the most affordable and cheapest price possible…. a consultation that costs u Rs. 500 here would cost u 4000 bucks at the USA….SO PLZ STOP COMPLAINING AND START UNDERSTANDING…..IT IS INDEED NOT OUR FAULT… ITS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY TO CURB UR TREATMENT MENT COSTS….OUR(DOCTORS) JOB IS TO TREAT U PPL NOT TO CALCULATE THE COSTS….and if u still do….then i would suggest u start paying for our education, better find out a way for us to cut down the sacrifice we make since day 1 of our medical career to give up our youth, family, relaxation…. just to serve 1.3 billion Indians at their discretionary service always….so tht we dont need to bother abt our livelihood, would you do that??….even u dont get a free haircut at a salon….yet u want free consultation from a doctor…. its a pity tht we doctors r always being questioned for no fault of ours
You actually took my comment the wrong way….I neither want free consultation from you or any other doctor, nor do I think it is always the doctor’s fault……..though sometimes it is, if you can read Bengali do read the news article I shared with my other replies………….the court acknowledged in that case that it was a case of criminal negligence………..
What I want is for doctor’s to give me a patient hearing, for 500/700 or whatever they are charging me, instead of trying to throw me out after hearing for 2 minutes…………and yes it is my mother’s colleague, whose daughter is a doctor, who told me that doctor’s get a cut from the tests they suggest……..plus she said many unethical doctors also get vacation packages and other goodies from sales guys for prescribing their company’s medicine………all these are open secret….ask any common man on the street……….. So what is all the “hullabaloo” about doctors getting unfairly targeted?
You can Google your symptoms and treat yourself. Why do you want to go to fools who waste 11.5 years of their youth to become fully trained doctors? You can get a free consultation on Google and treat yourself. Btw, you are a deserving candidate for the “Darwin” awards.
triggered much?
I know a orthopedic (not naming him, although I have the prescriptions to back up my comment), who practices at a well known nursing home in Foriapukur area, who WRONGLY diagnosed me with TMJ and gave me SAZO 1000…….actually it was a tooth problem………when I showed my blood test reports to my dentist, he was furious……needless to say, my jaw pain went away once my dentist extracted my tooth…………..and that useless orthopedic was FRCS ……….huh………..so much for your “fools who waste 11.5 years of their youth to become fully trained doctors”……..if after training for 11.5 years (i don’t know how you got that number, but that’s irrelevant), you can’t distinguish between tooth problem and TMJ, you sir are not only a FOOL , but a first class RETARD………..how’s that for a “Darwin” award?
My “Mejo Masi” (mom’s sister) 65 yrs….is about to die coz of kidney failure, because a doctor treated her wrongly for 1.5 years……………….and you are giving me your 11.5 yr lecture? go give your lecture to illiterate fools…….not me……
Excuse me Sir! The way you say as if the whole healthcare has taken responsibility of being a top class factory made product. I hope you are aware that the most developed countries don’t are not 100% successful on a day to day basis. They too have flaws to deal and overcome with and you talk about a state where chaos is the state of art product we have to showcase the world on a day to day basis with the government as an icing on the top. Across all sectors there are people who are being trained with money from somewhere or the other to become top class bunch of idiots. Believe engineers, lawyers even autorickshaw drivers have proved them proudly to be stupid enough to cause enough damage. And you are hellbent with proving all physicians to be a stupid byproduct of a failed training system. When everyone can draw hefty paychecks, earn respect and blessings of all people in the society, get to live a life they have deserved to earn, get well recognized for the education they have received, why is the society so adamant on cursing doctors??? That too for a rough percentage of 20-25 %!!! People are highly amused mixing everything up in the pot and aiming it too all doctors. Why shouldn’t a doctor working tirelessly and not aimed towards making him or her a commercial product, have to listen to all these tantrums in the society the moment they graduate. As it is the society comes to bargain deals with doctors in the state when things run in the fair state of mind and then are ready to shoot if by god a thing goes wrong
I do wish you sir get up every morning and have the perfect day 365/days a year and your company too, which generates a.straight line profit graph and nothing for even once goes wrong. At that time no one is at fault and given a chance to correct themselves. So why aren’t doctors given the same. When the society confuses healthcare.to receive the same status as any other I industry, expect results and outcomes.to be the same. I hope you do understand for a very competent advice the right doctors have all the reason to such a hefty fee. If you are so irritated with what they charge. Why don’t you talk to the govt and device solutions to pay all doctors the exact hefty paychecks that people in all other industries are paid. Also majority people in other industries are also fools doing shitty work to be repeated again and yet take a good amount of paycheck. Similar enough should be the case with doctors then as according to you.
If you had read my other comments, you would know that I have appreciated the ENT doctor I go to, the orthopedic who treated my mom’s slip-disk remarkably well and most of all….. the doctor who saved my life when I was 2 and feel unconscious on the road , after being hit by a bike……so it would be hypocritical of me to blame all doctors……..but do you think charging a patient 7 lakhs for 8 days is reasonably sir?….this is not the first time that the hospital in question has been involved in such incidents…..I leave it to you to decide……you are learned enough to make the distinction between what’s ethical and what’s not…….. also I have no problem…..and I have stated this in my other replies, if the doctor charges me 500 and does a good diagnosis and treatment………but shouldn’t I be angry when some guy with a doctor’s license does not know the difference between Jaw Arthritis and benign tooth problem and gives me wrong medication? It was not me rather the dentist I went to (he gives lectures at Calcutta Medical College) who said this after examining me and viewing my test reports which that ortho prescribed………”This is outrageous…..Generally we doctors don’t speak against another doctor’s treatment, as a matter of principle, but in this case, if I had the power, I would have cancelled that ortho’s license….” it was such a glaring error in treatment………
Yes please do safeguard and boldly mention people who are responsible for such harmful acts and not just tag the conversation with the word doctors. When all other crimes and unfortunate incidents take place, it is the person responsible who is held at shame and appropriate investigations take place. Why is the society and of course it starts with you as well so adamant on tagging DOCTORS and Hospitals as a whole. You could have begun accusing that person instead of the system being a nuisance. All doctors are a part of the system then!!! I know you never meant anything bad as such. You just said because you had the opportunity to critisize about the shortcomings faced. So did all the other people who have all the time in the world to blame doctors and healthcare as a whole and not taking the minimum effort of lodging complaints or necessary steps against the practitioners causing them dismay. But doctors are now facing your nuisance everyday all the more from 4 out of 10 people they see and expect to work without a word in their best self.
I hope Mr. Ray you did follow the first reply which I made. Why shouldn’t a doctor compare the profession with others?? People only enjoy the fact that a person they know is a doctor. Apart from that no one in this part of the world are really interested with a doctor does or achieves. A single patient does not say thank you after you treat him or her. You may but majority don’t. So don’t comment. All this is because the govt taking a decent and legitimate should have been done enquiry 10 years ago rather r5 years ago, to the social media, and presenting the whole industry to all the people waiting to enjoy plight of many helpless people to associated with healthcare. An illiterate person commanding a doctor with uncouth words as if the doctor was awarded with such a scope after 12 years of studying and choosing to stay back in this particular state only to uplift the situation of the place. Doctors unlike a percentage of other professionals don’t go to fancy offices or get to see the world while working or change a company if they don’t feel okay with the situation. Doctors have to work at the same settings year after year. So they do expect a minimum amount of respect from people. Also according to you USA or UK too would bring down the clinic with proper investigation and a balanced report, unlike our govt who has left no stone unturned to blame doctors and all and present it to a half literate mob half of whom have been appropriately treated against facilities and services available to those facing the mishap. It was a pretty decent move on the govt to win apalls for the upcoming polls. We all know how the present investigation is going and how its showcased on television. How the govt gives jobs and handles situation on every instance. And the people welcome it with wide open hands. Also on a regular day if a patient can eye a doctor as an object sold in market and choose the person who is the cheapest then what’s wrong if we just say to compare doctors with other professionals. And with all these being said its enough for us to sulk. We did not go to medical schools for these nuisances created by people to be imposed upon doctors to deal with rather than getting to do some actual work!!!! I hope you better get sober in your next comments and get to do something better actually to help your doctors not responsible!!!!
Also when doctors compare their profession with some other profession, they forget that their profession involves real human lives……..
you would argue that indirectly so does a pilot or a soldier’s profession, but the difference sir is an error in judgement of a pilot risks his own life in addition to 100s of others…..same with a soldier, if he is negligent or does inadvertent error, he may end up endangering his own life in addition to those of his colleagues…….so yes doctor’s profession is unique in that sense……….every doctor knows that before they decide to pursue that noble profession………so why sulk once you become a doctor? If I am not wrong, aren’t you guys supposed to take an path before being granted a license? Is it just for the sake of taking the oath then?
Wah.. apparently u know it all.. which investigation is needed and which one is not.. u r soo sure dt docs r d one filling up their pockets.. well ppl like u wud go to a movie.. spend 1000 bucks on a movie and not complain abt it.. n yet to pay 500 fr a doctor’s fee.. they ll cry their assses off.. well they hv earned their position in ways to charge for that money.. and trust me.. most docs know when they see a non affording patient and do their best to alleviate their expenses.. n btw.. ppl from abroad come to india as india has one of the cheapest health care system.. probbly the corporate sectors do charge excess.. bt DT goes to the higher ppl runnin the hospital business. Not the doctors.. the doctors r paid in salary basis.. soo next tym u get ill, google ur symptoms and get the relevant tests done urslf if u dont hv faith in doctors..
Bhai tum kaun se movie theatre me jate ho? Sone ka recliner hain kya us hall mein? 1000 rupay leta hain…….I watched Dangal for 250 bucks at a multiplex……. and the movie is for 2-3 hours…..2 min ka movie dikhakar bhaga nehi dete……..na hi Movie walo neh oath liya “to serve the people”………most of the doctors I go to (of course there are exceptions, not taking names here, but I am lucky to have visited them) are least bothered to listen to me……..they are in a hurry……instead of listening to my problems (which are mostly chronic in nature), they are like “Ekhon ki osubidha bolo?”……mane? ami 2-3 maas dhore je problem face korchi seta sonar apnar kachhe time nei? mane koto taratari amake bhagiye next patient er kach theke aro 700 taka aday kora jay………….
And don’t talk about ppl come to India from abroad…….as a patient I don’t care whether the total bill is 2$ or 2000$, as long as my out of pocket expense is 2$ only……..I have done blood tests in the US where I had to pay 10$ copay for doctor visit and that’s in US where even a blue collar guy earns 30-40K………so don’t talk rubbish……..I know how healthcare system works in developed countries………..they have ICD codes so no doctor / hospital can charge over and above standard rates………
And if I have to google my symptoms and do self medication, why am I paying taxes so that govt can subsidize the study cost of doctors? And why is govt giving doctors license ? to loot common man……….
I know a very good orthopedic in Shyambazar area (not naming him for obvious reasons…..you hawks would be after him) who charges 200 Rs only, listens to patients patiently and provides excellent treatment.
I also know a orthopedic (again not naming him, although I have the prescriptions to back my comment), who practices at a well known nursing home in Foriapukur area, who WRONGLY diagnosed me with TMJ and gave me SAZO 1000…….actually it was a tooth problem………when I showed my blood test reports to my dentist, he was furious……needless to say, my jaw pain went away once my dentists extracted my tooth…………..and that useless orthopedic was FRCS ……….huh………..so much for your “well they hv earned their position in ways to charge for that money”……..joto sob batela………patient dekhar belay loboddonka………..
I don’t know why my reply was removed….reposting
Which movie theater do you go to my friend? Do they have automatic recliners with champagne and food? Coz the one I go to in a multiplex charged me 250 bucks for a recent blockbuster…….but you and I digress
The movie theatre does not throw me out after 2 minutes viewing, neither do theatre owners / movie makers take the oath to “serve the common man” ….. so your comparison is actually ridiculous…….
Next about ppl coming to India for treatment, let me tell you that I had to pay 10$ copay from my pocket, every time I visited a doctor in the US and the income of a lower middle class household in the US is 30-40K
Also healthcare industry in developed countries like US use ICD codes for billing, so doctors and hospitals can’t charge according to their whims and fancies……forget the part where they are bound by law to explain every detail to their patients and take their consent ………….
And if I have to google my symptoms and do relevant tests, why ais govt using my tax money to fund doctor’s studies? And what for is the govt giving the license? to loot the common man……….
And oh I forgot the part where doctors get away with criminal negligence because people in India neither have the means nor ways to pursue wrongdoings, but not in the below case (new article attached)………..
Don’t get me wrong……..I have been to some excellent doctors……and I absolutely respect them…………but I have also been wrongly treated for Jaw Arthritis and given wrong harmful medicine, when it was plain tooth problem…….my mom’s sister is on her death bed dur to kidney failure because of wilful incorrect treatment for 1.5 years…….so pls have some compassion when common man gets angry…….we are not after “doctors”, in fact we want good doctors to treat us well………….
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/26f78691b33ece5a53d2f0d393b2e0f272953fdce44830d4a001881cd8baa370.jpg
I am still a medical student so i will not comment on the aspect of consultation fees and all.But as far as ‘govt using our tax money for medical education’ goes, it’s a flawed notion. Because 1st of all,when it comes to clinical subjects i.e medicine,surgery-these are taught by the hospital doctors.So basically these doctors get a single salary for 2 jobs-treating the hospital patients and teaching the students. Secondly, when it comes to pre-clinical subjects like anatomy,physiology-it is the students who have to buy bone-sets, anatomy atlases.And to be honest,medical colleges in west bengal really don’t have that state of the art technology that has demands heavy investment, so pretty sure bi-annual fees charged to us for 5 years easily covers up for that. :)
Your reply is more mature than most of the “so called” doctors here……….I am sure you would became a wonderful doctor in future……..I must admit that I am not completely aware of the various things required for a medical course, but I do know that govt subsidizes medical college fees, which I have no problem with, if that helps financially less fortunate but brilliant students, who can serve our country once they pass out…………
We do have compassion for the anger of the common man. But what is not justified is the way you speak. You spoke on generalised terms in your previous post. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO DO THAT. You have the right to criticize the doctor who gave you a wrong dignosis. But that does not mean you go around blaming EVERY DOCTOR.
You’re so sure google will provide you the best solutions. I salute you. 5.5 years of MBBS, 3 years of MD/MS n 2 years of DM-you’ve done it all man! Great! You’ve read all of Harrison, Love Bailey, Grays, Guyton, Ganong, Panniker, Robbins, Harper, Lipincott, KDT, Katzung, Goodman Gilman to name a few, right? You’d easily get the diagnosis with just a look at it and surfing through the net.
Which world do you exist in? Where different strains of swine flu did not exist? Or diseases were still caused by humors? Or do you have xray vision to see which bacteria is causing your problem so you’d need no tests.
Doctors put up with all your shit. And you know what? They will keep doing that with our head held high. They will do what is right. They will follow protocols whether you like it or not. They will prescribe you tests so that they can get to their right diagnosis.
Even if they are mocked for all that they do.
Even if the likes of you in your post uses “doctors/hospital administration” in their comments..and still dont get the essence of this article n say “doctors/hospital adm”
Bridge girta hai toh engineer ko kabhi nhi bulate.
Bank me prob hota hai toh mar peet toh nahi karte.
Govt. Pe gussa ata hai police apna kaam thik se nahi karte toh kuch nahi bolte.
Par tmko pata hai ki doctor pe haath uthana usko criticise karna aasan hai. Hippocratic oath lekar rakhi hai na usne. Karna toh samaj sewa hai usko. Chahe samaj uski sewa kare ya na kare ….
In response 2 your long post I will keep my reply as short as possible…..
1. never said all docs are bad, if you read my other replies, i acknowledged the ENT doctor, the dentists and the orthopedic I go to, no to mention Dr Sarkar, who saved my life when I was 2 and met with a bike accident…so you are incorrect in your accusation.
2. However I do have the right , as a free citizen of this country to criticize wrongdoings by persons, be it from any profession…that includes doctors, engineers, police, govt officials, everyone…………..
3. In every profession you have to study, a person who is not an engineer cannot design a robust bridge by googling neither can a person who is not a doctor, treat complex conditions by googling…..I don’t know where that came from, but I never said anything about googling….some of the respondents to my comment mentioned it……….
4. When the bridge near Vivekananda Road collapsed 2 engineers of the company were booked for negligence. Everyday police brutality and misbehavior are caught on tape, gets media attention and the concerned police personnel punished. Many govt officials caught taking bribes have been suspended / terminated from their jobs. Nowadays we often hear of pilots being suspended / thrown out for incorrect landings, misbehavior etc.
So I am not sure why you feel that only doctors are being unfairly targeted? And pleas do realize that you guys deal with real human lives………..forget “Samaj Sewa”, which I feel people of all profession should do……….at least treat patients as “human beings” that matter, not another bed Number……….is that too much to ask for?
Hello Mr. Ray
Myself Dr. Sai Sameer…i have been reading ur comments and I understand ur frustration on medical administration for charging too much…so I would like to add my views.
1. The main prblm with lies in the mentality of the people, we r ready to spend for things which make us happy be it a mobile, food, house, car, vacation etc… But coming to things like paying taxes r paying fr medical expenses we consider them an extra burden because they make us unhappy.
2.Coming to the price you r changed and the time you r checked…a doctor has earned the right to charge for the effort he gave to become a successful doctor in this competitive world…And you must be grateful that he is able to diagnose ur prblm in few minutes of talking to u. Do u know how much expertise and courage it takes to provide a quick diagnosis and prescribe required investigations. As someone already mentioned most of the doctors working in private hospitals are paid monthly salaries only… Major portion of the money you pay goes to the hospitals, labs and pharmaceticals. A limit on the cost of these should come as an initiative from the government.
Doctor has become a soft target to blame for all these in a pool of multisectorial commercial Giants.
All I wanted to say is that I agree medical facilities are expensive but u can’t blame a doctor that he is incapable and just greedy for money.
Hello Dr Sameer,
I do understand all your points and frankly I have learnt a lot through all these discussions……..
but you cannot deny that there are unscrupulous elements in each and every profession, including medical profession……While most doctors are good and have the best of intentions in mind while treating patients, not all of them are……..unfortunately since doctors deal with human lives and health even 1 bad apple in a basket of 100 good ones creates a bad taste in the mouth of the patient……
I am not sure whether you are a doctor in West Bengal……….and if not whether you have heard of the recent incident involving Apollo hospital in Kolkata…….when a person dies and is charged 7 lakhs for eight days and his relatives’ plea to release him goes unanswered, patient party lose their cool and in the desperation of the moment cannot make the distinction between doctors who treated the patient and corporate hospitals where the patient was admitted…………
I think a relationship of trust between patients and doctors is of utmost importance and it is the responsibility of both to try to maintain that trust…….
To build that relationship doctors must unite and refuse to be associated with such unscrupulous corporate entities………I am sure if doctors come together and refuse to work with a specific corporate hospital, they would be forced to change their unethical ways………..
Mr. Ray
Bad things happen in all walks of life and in different fields… But u cannot show that frustration on all doctors…as a young doctor I would like to say that most medical students start their med school with high hopes of being a good doctor and serving the poor and needy for free… But as years pass by…the situations around us change…its a competitive world outside and its not rewarding for selfless service became afterall this is our career choice and we expect some settlement like our counter parts who get settled at younger age wen we still have years of study left to enter into actual real medical setup…so we will be in our 30’s wen we start searching for a job is some corporate hospital with hope of settlement atlast.
In a practical world a doctor can’t point out the heavy price list offered by the hospital… Because if he does he will be replaced by another doctor who is searching for an opportunity to settled down and will be ready to work for lesser salary…as a result most of the doctors have to work blindfolded by this system and just concentrate on our work and try to lead a life.
Even we are humans….trained and skilled in our field…and mistakes do happen…u can blame the doctor for his personal mistake…but dont criticise the doctors of our country just Because of our corrupt medical system.
Point taken…….I guess everything boils down to social security and a robust healthcare system, which will take years to build, seeing the current state of affairs in India
Treat us like humans too.
I’ve seen doctors get beaten up by the public more than any other respectable professions.
And please understand the point of this article.
State should provide police protection to doctors…..under no circumstances violence in any form is accepted. Period
However do read this article , if you have time……..here is an excerpt from the article …
“It has already zeroed in on some major instances on negligence which include Roy being left unattended for over three hours after he was brought to the private hospital on February 16 afternoon”
http://www.asianage.com/metros/kolkata/030317/apollo-hospital-regional-director-steps-down.html
So no need to go anywhere for any disease… You have Google Baba at your disposal.. Also Natmeds …you can get your medicines delivered right at your doorstep….
Taxi/Uber cab ka kharcha bhi bachh jayega….
So take a chill pill… Ghar pe baitho…mast raho….
Well, Mr. Ray. Its ironic (and even moronic) for you go to a “good” doctor in the first place and then rant for his “diagnosis in 2 minutes”. If you think about it, it takes years of practice to reach that kind of an expertise. You’d think you’re out there to buy furniture, but in reality what you were paying for was an experience! So, yeah, it could have been expensive for you, but it is what it is. And about those ‘unnecessary tests’, they are done to look out for complications, which wouldn’t show up on your Google Search!!
Read the other replies…….I don’t have time and energy to reply to every wolf in the pack, which seems to have come here just to reply to some comment of a nobody like me………well I am honored, but not so much as to give reply to same lame ass comments again and again
When u r waiting in line it becomes forever waiting.. Other patients who are ahead of you should be seen in 2 min or the doctor is slow!! At the same time when its ur turn u want the doctor to see for half an hour. Irony of selfish people! I know I prefer talking to and listen to for at least ten min. But when the doctor has to see 80 patients how humanely is it possible to give ten min to all?! I know when patients come on a holiday to get their blood pressures checked. When every one is relaxing @ home on a week end people come to casualty reason it was a holiday soooo just wanted to get my blood pressure checked!! What kind of attitude is this?! If the doc says its not emergency some goondas will come and beat up.. Saying doctor refused to check the patient.. This kind of cult culture has to stop..
I categorically condemn all forms of violence against doctors or any fellow human beings…….having said that I have a “not so ingenious idea” of how to resolve the “I want doctor to hear me for 10 minutes, but don’t want to wait myself for patients before me” problem……..I learnt this from a dentist clinic I visited……….most hospital & clinic I assume take appointments……..so if the doctor sees patients from 10 in the morning and on an average takes 5 minutes to see each patient (for some it may be shorter, for some longer), how about telling the 1st 3 patient to come at 10, the next 3 to come at 10:15……the next batch of 3 at 10:30…….believe me I have seen this work wonderfully in the dentist clinic I mentioned above………it saves the patient party a lot of unnecessary harassment…………instead what the clinics and hospitals do is ask all 20 patients who made appointment with the doctor that day to come at 10 and then the 20th patient has to wait 3 hours for his / her turn………..just for a moment put yourself in the patient’s shoes who may be suffering from high fever or upset stomach and think………….a compassion on both side (doctors and patients) …………is it too much to ask for?
Hello Mr. Ray. I am Dr. Aniket and I work in one of the best hospitals in India AIIMS. I have been following yours and others comments and I would like to give you a realistic picture of healthcare especially concentrating on private hospitals as I have worked in one of the largest private hospital in Delhi too.
1. India has approx 60k MBBS seats among which 50% are govt seats. Subsidy in these seats are in fees and hostel. Rest all expenses are bore by medical student.
2. In MD/MS usually stipend is paid in the range of 40k to 80k depending upon state and govt or private medical college. But in return hospital gets cheap labour to do all the hard work.
3. After MD/MS a doctor either joins a private hospital or govt hospital or prepares for superspecialization. In private hospitals salary ranges from 80k to 120k depending on specialisation and location. Private hospitals give this target of around 40% conversion. That is you have to convert 40% of your OPD patients into IPD. There goes your Hippocratic oath. If you refuse then either you loose your job or your salary cuts because hospital can’t cover their OPERATING COSTS.
4. As far as govt hospitals are concerned patient load is so much that it is physically impossible to cover so.many patients and listen to them patiently too. 2 min is all u can give because next patient is equally important. Go figure.
5. India has doctor to patient ratio of 1:1800 as against minimum norm by WHO 1:1000. There is a huge shortage. Even in private clinic setup a good doctor sees 50 to 100 patients daily whereas in USA it’s 8 to 10 patients daily.
6. There are ERROR OF JUDGEMENT everywhere. Every profession has it. If a doctor has wrongly treated you or diagnosed you, it doesn’t necessarily mean he is a bad doctor.
7. Finally, no doctor would want you to be I’ll even after best of treatment. They are just bound by chains of administration. Most of these private hospitals are owned by politicians and businessman and are for profit.
8. So the problem lies at multiple levels and doctors are just being made escape guys to hide inadequacies of healthcare infrastructure. Our govt spends 1.2% of GDP on public health as against 7% by WHO and 5% global average. These adequacies gives rise to private corporate hospitals and they thrive. So basically the guys who are running these hospitals are also running the country and why would they want to cut their source of earning.
9. Universal health coverage has always been poll promise of all governments in India but none has worked on it. Even after more than 60 years of independence we are still not able to achieve recommendations of BOHR COMMITTEE In 1946.
10.so I understand your frustration but people should ideally blame government instead of doctors. We came to society to make a difference but there is so much you can do yourself. Private hospitals are a result of inadequacies of government policies not doctors.
Well said Sir !! But plz don’t waste your time and energy arguing to these half learned and may be idea internet network passed so called doctors who are lesser competent than even a nanny or aaya sometimes..lol
Go to a government hospital and government doctor.. who asked to go to a private one
People including our illustrative chief commenting on doctors prescribing unnecessary tests must be more qualified to know which tests are needed or not than doctors who have spent a minimum 5 years to learnt about the intricasies of human body.Since everybody has a human body, there is a tendency to think each know their one best and what is best for them.Perhaps best to go back to the Vedic Ages where no investigations were done or thought necessary.No investigation,no hospital,no expense at all!
I am here in UK for last 5 months in connection with my daughter’s delivery.I have seen their so called “free treatment:in NHS at close quarters and how long you have to wait at A&E even for a major complaint. How much my daughter and grandchild has suffered,I know.Give me India any day.Thank you!
Amazing article, it has clearly caught the plight of doctors per se which are often painted in same color, the looters. It gives the citizenry a chance to know the doctors side and it is clear enough that the problem has been there on both sides.
Is it fair for us to curse the doctors only, why they should become the soft target. Let’s make sure that the MNCs who are sieving out huge chunk of money from our pockets should be regulated.
U said investigations were done unnecessary…your article clearly shows how important each and every. Investigations are…had a mrcp been done in the first place..her life may been saved…but the tragedy lies In the fact that had the report come negative…common man would have branded dat it was done unnecessary..dis is our unfortunate story…if we do sum thing which do not yield a result that alters the course of the treatment …we are questioned by party why did u do it…when we do not do n investigation on clinical findings..and result in the death /harm of the patient we are questioned by court why we did not do it…whether we accept it or not..the opinion of a doctor is an aggregation of evidences which come I front of us ….similar to a verdict passed in the court….do you punish a judge for his verdict ???? Which is upturned by another court…
Fuck u ray… Fuck ur whole family..
There is a case to start a movement to ‘SHUN CORPORATE-HOSPITALS’ and encourage ‘group-of-doctors’ owned and run small hospitals….
A doctor can never be CRUEL for profit while a Corporate can be….!
The main problem behind all this is our population.
In India the doctor-patient ratio is 1:1,700.
The ideal doctor-patient ratio as prescribed by WHO is 1:400.
I don’t want to compare our doctor-patient ratio to other countries here. But for your knowlege(if you are intrested) you can google it. Obviously you won’t be surprised to know that most of the countries are far ways better than India in running their heathcare systems.
So in India one doctor is seeing aprox 2000 patients, i.e 0.6 per 1,000 people.
Its really a very heavy burden on the doctors in india, but we have very well got used to it.(I’m not complaining. Its a Genuine Fact).
Mistakes are undoubtedly bound to happen in a place like this.
As i read all the comments here, i found Mr.Ray talking out of both sides of his mouth. He started his comment showing his frustation on both the doctors and the heathcare sysytem. He then says “i don’t mean all doctors are bad,i respect doctors”.
In his next comments down the line he says “so-called doctors”.
He also called everyone of us “Looters”.
And in the end he stopped complaining, started to rethink and talks about resolving the issues.
@Mr.Ray please dont talk out of both sides. I condemn for all the wrongs that have been done to you. But with this attitude of yours talking out both sides of your mouth(calling all the doctors of your country looters) will lead you to more toubles in your life.
Thanks to “Sameer9116” to put it the right way & throw the comments on his face. Thankyou soo much.
To resolve heathcare issues in India, govt & private sectors should provide more seats for MBBS,MS/MD,DNB.
I believe there are many hidden talented people in india with good attitude who are good enough to become be a doctor in india.
Some may be good as clinicians while others may be skillfull in surgical procedures. GOI should encourage people to become doctors and making the path of becoming a doctor hassle-free(but with out corruption).
I feel that increasing the number of doctors in our country will practically resolve many healthcare related problems.
People like Ray don’t understand the difference between negligence and complications….people like him have a pre set mind… stubborn in their head and attitude…they want best of things from Dr at lowest price…I think he should stay in USA only….this place is so below standard for him…I really wish that his child becomes a Dr..only then he will feel the anguish and learn the sufferings of Drs in India first hand….instead of talking about the worst functioning of political system and bad condition of govt hospitals he has chosen to bad mouth about the entire doctor fraternity….shame on him…people like him will hit a Dr given a chance…without regret…. without common sense…may I know ur profession Ray…..
Wonderful article! Hope it will help more people just like I got the right information during reading this article. I bookmarked your article for future updates. Keep sharing.