Widespread
abuse of the medical system is prevalent in our country. Please be careful with
such people who not only rob you of your money - but also put your health at
huge risk. We can forgive them if it was only money - but how can we forgive
people who not only loot - but also put our lives in danger? Please share this
article as much as possible so that every indian comes to know.
1. Lab
Commission :
A doctor (it
doesnt matter if he is a general practitioner or a specialist or a consultant)
prescribes lab tests, xrays, ct scan or MRI scan. The institutions which do
these tests - pass on a portion of the fees as commission to the doctor who
prescribed them. In South and Central Mumbai - 40% goes as commission and in
the suburbs - upto 60% goes to the doctors as commission. Therefore, the
doctors will prescribe even unnecessary tests to get a higher commission.
2. Referral
Commission :
When your
doctor refers you to a specialist, then 30 to 40% of the specialist's fee will
come back to your doctor as "referral fee".
3. Hospital
Commission :
When your
doctor sends you for admission in a hospital - a certain percentage of all the
charges that the hospital levies on the patient - will go to your doctor as his
commission (ICU, Bed Charges,
doctor fees,
Operation costs etc...)
4. Unnecessary
Tests Fees :
The lab people
know some tests as "unwanted". They will still charge you and pay the
commission to the doctor - without actually doing any tests. This is what is
called as "basin tests" - where the sample is simply poured into the
basin - and Aamir Khan's Satyameva Jayate program highlighted this malpractice.
5. Admission
for Observation :
Even when there
is no need - you will be asked to admit the patient in the hospital for
"observation". The doctor who recommends "admission" knows
very well that admission is not required - but he needs to earn for the hospital
- therefore he recommends admission. The doctors who earn more for the hospital
will finally get a place in the hospital board also.
6. Unwanted ICU
Admission :
Most of the
hospitals in the suburbs are run either by a single doctor or by a doctor
couple. The staff they employ are normally not so educated - they will do
many jobs - from handling reception - to dressing up wounds to taking care of
patients to administering injections to doing ECG tests to even helping in
operations. Most such hospitals have ICU Wards also. But these hospitals are
very careful in admitting "non-critical" patients in their ICU. They
know that such patients dont need intensive care - but still they are admitted
and charged for "Intensive care".
7. Unwanted
Caesareans and other operations :
Many operations
are done only to enrich the hospital's coffers and not because the patient
needs it. Caesarean child births and uterus removal are the common
"unwanted" operations that are done - because there is low risk in
these operations - and the money is good.
When the woman
is screaming in pain and a bit of fear - the doctor will recommend caesarean as
the solution. A little more waiting will result in normal delivery - but the
doctors will not give you that critical period of waiting - there is a lot of
difference between rs. 3000 and rs. 30000 plus - hence they have a minimum of
thirty thousand reasons to rush you for caesarean.
How come
countries like belgium achieve less than 1 caesarean per 100 child births -
whereas in India we seem to be doing the opposite? Who is to be blamed?
certainly not the patient!!!!
The second
common unwanted operation gaining popularity is "uterus" removal.
When a woman's period is almost on hand - there are changes in her body - IF a
scan is taken at this time - it is usual to see "fibroid" - which
will disappear after her periods. But - pointing to these "fibroids"
the doctors advise removal of uterus. When the doctor points to the fibroid on
a scan - and also informs about the "danger" of these fibroids - the
couple usually agree to the uterus removal operation - costing anywhere between
Rs. 30000 to 1.5 lakhs. I have had the opportunity of saving a couple of women
from this unwanted operation - and the good news is that they are now healthy -
and the fibroids are not there anymore!!!!
8. Cosmetic
surgeries :
Many surgeries
which are usually advertised as "cosmetic" are not really superficial
surgeries - some of them are life threatening also. Beware of cosmetic
surgeries.
9. Operation
for a dead body :
When your
relative is rushed straight to the operation theatre from the ICU - without
even informing you - and the doctor urges you to sign the operation consent
form with a bit of urgency - then please be careful. It is almost a certainty
that your relative is already dead and that the hospital is trying to earn more
by conducting an operation on this dead body. Once you sign the consent form,
the doctor will go inside - and after 15 or 20 minutes - he will come out and
tell you that your relative died during the operation. The hospital gains by
way of operation charges - operation theatre costs - the anaesthetist cost -
specialists costs etc etc.... Therefore if you are pressured into signing a
consent form - pls ask to see the patient. DO NOT SIGN if you are not allowed
to see the patient.
This post is
not to blame any particular doctor - there are scores of good intentioned
doctors - who put patient welfare above everything else - and who spend a lot
of time in taking care of patients. KUDOS to such doctors. But the modern
system is pathetic - bcos to become a doctor - the student spends a lot of
money - and he wants to recover such costs as soon as possible. Hence - be
informed patients - ask a lot of questions as to the necessity of such tests.
Be healthy -
Thank God always for the priceless wealth called HEALTH.
Please share this article as much as possible so that every indian comes to
know.
