Pendency at Hospitals Vs Courts: A Comparison- Imparting Justice Vs Health

Justice and Health- Both are crucial for happiness of the living beings as well as society as a whole. Hospitals are full of patients and so are courts with litigants. None of the people go to hospital and courts happily and everyone invariably wants early relief.

Once a patient visits hospital, he will ponder over about the benefit of the visit. So is the person visiting the courts. Did they were imparted justice?

None of patient, who visits hospital, comes back without treatment. Doctor gets few minutes to decide. Most of the time, for the investigations and the treatment few visits are required. But there is no pendency. In Government hospitals, even appointments are not given. A doctor sitting in outdoor will see hundreds of patients. On emergencies night duties, doctor will not be able to count how many he/she has stabilized or numbers treated.

Even in such chaotic systems, doctor can be punished, dragged to courts or assaulted for unintentional mistakes, that are almost always secondary to load of patients or inept infrastructure.

The work at hospital continues day and night, 24 hours and 365 days, despite almost always lesser number of doctors and required manpower. Systems in hospitals are designed and maintained meticulously to have no pendency what-so-ever situation is. Larger number of patients go back home treated and very few unfortunate patients are unable to recover, but still whatever is required- is done invariably.

Justice is needed for satisfaction of soul and peaceful mind, is of same importance what is to the health of body. Justice delayed gives a sense of hurt and pain to soul. Pendency in courts simply reflects the grave injustice people are living with.

44 million pending court cases: How did we get here?

There are about 73,000 cases pending before the Supreme Court and about 44 million in all the courts of India, up 19% since last year.

According to a 2018 Niti Aayog strategy paper, at the then-prevailing rate of disposal of cases in our courts, it would take more than 324 years to clear the backlog. And the pendency at that time was 29 million cases. Cases that had been in the courts for more than 30 years numbered 65,695 in December 2018. By January this year, it had risen more than 60% to 1,05,560.

Grave injustice for medical professions:

A doctor making wrong diagnosis (gets few minutes to decide) can be prosecuted, but courts giving wrong verdicts (get years to decide) are immune?

2. Compare the remuneration of lawyers to doctors. Doctors gets few hundreds to save a life (often with abuses) and lawyers can get paid in millions (happily).

3. Doctors treat the body and larger is still not fully known about mechanisms. Still doctors can be blamed for unanticipated events. Whereas law is a completely known and written subject.

4. If health is citizen’s right so should be a timely justice.

Despite doing so much for patients, still people’s behaviour to doctors and hospitals is not respectful. Doctors are punished for slight delays and people and courts intolerant to unintentional mistakes. But people can’t behave in the same manner to courts and legal system and tolerate the blatant injustice for years.

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December 5, 2021 2

Justice Delayed to Doctor- Vindication # Supreme-Court # Medical-Negligence?

It has taken 23 years to end harassment of a doctor to decide upon a problem, which should not have been there at all. Practically doctors can be dragged to courts, blackmailed, harassed and assaulted with impunity just because of any adverse outcome. So the legal and illegal demonization of medical profession has become a routine, while law industry makes merry at the cost of doctors. Natural complications, genuine poor prognosis, and death that occur after some treatment can be easily pinpointed to the doctors. Saviours are fighting the death as well as court cases to save themselves. In this case, Supreme Court was kind enough to give a favourable verdict, but not all doctors are lucky enough. Many suffer because of frivolous cases, poor medical governance and unwise decisions.

Doctor can’t be held guilty of negligence just because a patient died: Supreme Court

The bench said: ‘In spite of the treatment, if the patient had not survived, the doctors cannot be blamed as even the doctors with the best of their abilities cannot prevent the inevitable…’ A doctor can assure life to his patient but can only attempt to treat everyone to the best of his or her abilities, said the Supreme Court.

No doctor can assure life to his patient but can only attempt to treat everyone to the best of his or her abilities, said the Supreme Court on Tuesday, as it underscored that a doctor cannot be held guilty of medical negligence just because a patient has not survived.

“There is a tendency to blame the doctor when a patient dies or suffers some mishap. This is an intolerant conduct of the family members to not accept the death in such cases. The increased cases of manhandling of medical professionals who worked day and night without their comfort has been very well seen in this pandemic,” lamented a bench of justices Hemant Gupta and V Ramasubramanian.

The bench added: “In spite of the treatment, if the patient had not survived, the doctors cannot be blamed as even the doctors with the best of their abilities cannot prevent the inevitable…The doctors are expected to take reasonable care but none of the professionals can assure that the patient would overcome the surgical procedures.”

It underlined that there must be sufficient material or medical evidence should be available before the adjudicating authority to arrive at the conclusion that death is due to medical negligence. “Every death of a patient cannot on the face of it be considered to be medical negligence,” said the bench.

The court said this while allowing an appeal filed by Bombay Hospital and Medical Research Centre against the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission’s order to pay ₹14.18 lakh to the family of one Dinesh Jaiswal, who died in June 1998 following unsuccessful surgeries of his gangrene in his limbs.

The family attributed Jaiswal’s demise to negligence in conducting surgeries, absence of the treating senior doctor, lack of operation theatre, and a broken-down angiography machine. The hospital, however, refuted all allegations, stating the best possible treatment by present medical professionals and within the resources available was provided.

In its 2010 judgment, the national consumer commission invoked the principle of “res ipsa loquitur” (mere occurrence of certain event can lead to an inference of negligence of the other side) to hold the hospital guilty of medical negligence.

But the top court on Tuesday set aside this judgment, noting the order suffered from legal as well as factual infirmities.

“It is a case where the patient was in serious condition impending gangrene even before admission to the hospital but even after surgery and re-exploration, if the patient does not survive, the fault cannot be fastened on the doctors as a case of medical negligence. It is too much to expect from a doctor to remain on the bed side of the patient throughout his stay in the hospital which was being expected by the complainant here. A doctor is expected to provide reasonable care which is not proved to be lacking in any manner in the present case,” held the bench.

The court underlined that there was never a stage when the patient was left unattended and mere fact that the main treating doctor had gone abroad cannot lead to an inference of medical negligence because the patient was admitted in a hospital having 20 specialists in multi-faculties.

“The patient was in a critical condition and if he could not survive even after surgery, the blame cannot be passed on to the hospital and the doctor who provided all possible treatment within their means and capacity,” it said.

On the aspect of delay in re-exploration after the initial surgery threw up complications due to non-availability of an operation theatre, the bench noted that it was only a matter of chance that all the four operation theatres of the hospital were occupied when the patient was to undergo surgery.

“We do not find that the expectation of the patient to have an emergency operation theatre is reasonable as the hospital can provide only as many operation theatres as the patient load warrants. If the operation theatres were occupied at the time when the operation of the patient was contemplated, it cannot be said that there is negligence on the part of the hospital,” it said.

The court added that a team of specialist doctors was available and also attended to the patient but “unfortunately, nature had the last word” and the patient breathed his last. “The family may not have coped with the loss of their loved one, but the hospital and the doctor cannot be blamed as they provided the requisite care at all given times,” it maintained.

The deceased’s family was paid ₹5 lakh as interim compensation by the top court in March 2010 when it had agreed to examine the hospital’s appeal. The bench said that this amount shall be treated as ex gratia payment to Jaiswal’s family and will not be recovered by the hospital.

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December 4, 2021 0

Medical Business Vs Medical Service: Clash is Inevitable # 40 Nagpur hospitals Stop cashless

Doctor- Patient interaction has evolved from a simple conversation to a complex industrial dialogue in last few decades. With patients being defined as consumers and legalities coming in, has converted the simple treatment into a commercial and legal issue. Many agencies have positioned themselves between doctor and patient to mediate the deal and to have benefit from both sides. But the flip side of the arrangement is that all agencies want a significant pound of flesh for themselves. Survival of Insurance industry is dependent upon expensive medical costs. If costs are low, there would be no need for insurance. The involvement of Investors, insurance companies, suppliers, mediators TPA’s to facilitate the complex interaction makes health costs skyrocket.

With every agency trying to extract more and more, the core stake holders- doctors and patients are being alienated. Such complexities have a potential to affect the medical services in an adverse manner. The clash for more profits is inevitable. Being consumers may be a loss making deal for the patients.

40 Nagpur hospitals Stop cashless health insurance facility

40 City Hospitals join hands
Beneficiaries of National Insurance, United India Insurance & Oriental Insurance to get affected from 1ST Dec

Nagpur: The ongoing tussle between the cartel of 3 health insurance companies namely National Insurance Company Ltd, United India Insurance Company Ltd, Oriental Insurance Company and their 6 TPAs i.e. MD India Health Insurance TPA (P) Ltd, Genins India Insurance TPA Ltd, Family Health Plan TPA Ltd, Paramount Health Services & Insurance TPA Pvt.Ltd, Health Insurance TPA of India Ltd and Health India TPA Services Pvt Ltd with member hospitals of Vidarbha Hospitals Association continues to grow serious with more and more hospitals joining hands with affected VHA members. The hospitals are aggrieved because of package rates being decreed by this group of companies which is presently 50-80% less than ongoing agreed open billing rate list. The hospitals are being threatened by the cartel to either agree to deliver services in these subsidized rates or face removal from approved list of hospitals. Insurance Beneficiaries Association and Vidarbha Private Hospital Employees Union have also thrown their weight behind VHA with their own justifications.

Beneficiaries are facing heat on account of the threat of health insurance cashless facility withdrawal presently announced by all major quality conscious hospitals of Nagpur including Wockhardt, Orange City, KRIMS, Alexis, Meditrina, Care, Viveka, Suretech, Arogyam, Center Point, Midas, Ortho Relief, Hope, Icon, Lotus, Samarpan, Sengupta, Treat Me, Radiance, Keshav, Swasthyam, Crescent, Sushrut, Aureus, Shravan, Grace Orthocare, Abhinav, SS.Multispeciality, Metro City, Medicare, Getwell, East End, Safal, New Era, Arihant & Shrikrishna, Criticare, RNH, Asian Kidney, Asha and Platina.

Ganesh Iyer- General Secretary of Insurance Beneficiaries Association stated that even if hospitals agree to attend patients in such minimalistic package costs which is inclusive of medicines, consumables and diagnostics; it will surely affect quality of treatment and complications may increase. Hospitals till date were issuing prescriptions to patients and they used to get the medicines on cashless basis from hospital pharmacy so the relatives were aware of what was being procured and given. If package rates are levied, they will be unaware and hospitals because of such low rates will use substandard drugs, he alleged. Moreover, when health insurance premiums are increasing day by day, why fair rates are not being offered to hospitals based on certain valuation criteria? he queried. He has advised all the beneficiaries of these cartel to get themselves ported to other insurance providers.

Prakash Shende-Working President of Vidarbha Private Hospitals Employees Union has stated that if hospitals agree for such low rates, they will be forced to either reduce remuneration or retrench personnel which will be detrimental to their members.

Citizens were eagerly waiting for an agreeable resolution to this ongoing struggle. All concur that till amicable resolution is found, both parties should have agreed to continue services in old agreed rates. VHA had conveyed its readiness to do so in larger interest of society and mediate in this matter. However, looking into the adamant stand of cartel, VHA today conveyed these insurance companies about their inclination to stop cashless facility to their beneficiaries w.e.f.01/12/2021.

Deploring the cartelization of the health insurance companies; Dr. Ashok Arbat- VHA President said that soon all their 160 member hospitals will be forced to join this agitation if these companies do not mend their ways and value quality care by offering reasonable rates.

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November 28, 2021 2

Poverty of justice-Doctors and nurses scapegoats # arrested for hospital fire

In present era, Doctors and Nurses have become sitting ducks for assaults, punishments and harassment for every reason, inept medical system, whether right or wrong. An unfortunate example of not only plight of health care workers but the strange kind of governance, is the arrest of doctor and nurses at Ahmed Nagar -Pune blaming them for fire in the hospital. Strangely, the administrators and staff responsible for the maintenance and infrastructure safety are not in the picture.

Making health care workers scapegoats for such tragedies just reflects not only the inept governance and poverty of justice but also the callous attitude of authorities towards real issues.

Ahmednagar hospital fire: Medical officer, 3 nurses arrested

The fire broke out last Saturday at 11am on the ground floor of the hospital, where 17 patients were admitted, of which 15 were on either ventilator or oxygen support.

A medical officer and three staff nurses were arrested Tuesday on charges of causing death by negligence and culpable homicide not amounting to murder after 11 people lost their lives last week in a fire incident at a hospital in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district. Medical officer Dr Vishakha Shinde, and staff nurses Sapna Pathare, Asma Shaikh and Channa Anant were arrested under sections 304 and 304A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), said Manoj Patil, Superintendent of Police, Ahmednagar rural police.

Quoting Ahmednagar police, HT earlier reported that 70% of deaths were caused by smoke from the fire while the remaining died after directly getting caught in the blaze that broke out in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Civil Hospital. Most of them were senior citizens undergoing treatment for coronavirus disease (Covid-19). In connection with the incident, an FIR was registered against unidentified persons under Section 304(A) of the IPC.

The fire broke out last Saturday at 11am on the ground floor of the hospital, where 17 patients were admitted, of which 15 were on either ventilator or oxygen support. While 10 patients died in the blaze at the spot, one person later succumbed to injuries.

Alleging that the State Government was attempting to shift the blame on personnel on the ground after the tragedy, the protesting members of the medical fraternity blamed the Government for negligence in not conducting regular fire audits, while claiming that the District Civil Surgeon, who was recently suspended, had sought State funds to set up a fire safety system, none were forthcoming from the administration.

Dr. Anil Athare, president, IMA, Ahmednagar said it was shocking that clauses of Section 304 and 304A were applied against the medical officer and the three nurses, remarking that doctors and nurses were “always made scapegoats” in such cases.

“Instead of accusing the medical staff on ground, why is anyone not questioning the officials of the Public Works Department (PWD) and Electrical Department regarding wiring and maintenance works which caused the fire in the first place,” said Dr. Athare, demanding that the arrested medical personnel be released immediately.

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November 17, 2021 0

Doctor treating celebrity (Puneeth Rajkumar): Faces new kind of problem

Previously the death of any patient was thought to be because of natural causes or God’s wish. But in present era of consumerism, first possibility is to blame the doctor and not the disease or natural causes. The doctors treating celebrities are likely to face the ire of fans as they can be easily blamed for the death. Doctors need to be more careful especially about documentation while treating the celebrities. Not only doctors will be at risk of physical assaults or loss of reputation but they should be ready with legal scrutiny as well.

Bengaluru: Late actor Puneeth Rajkumar’s doctor gets police protection

A week after Kannada superstar Puneeth Rajkumar owing to a cardiac arrest in Bengaluru, his family doctor has been provided police protection in the wake of several fans alleging “medical negligence”.According to Bengaluru City Police, a KSRP platoon has been deployed outside the residence and clinic of Dr Ramana Rao at Sadashivanagar. “We are closely monitoring the situation near these areas with intensified patrolling to avoid any untoward incident,” a senior officer confirmed.This comes after the Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA) sought protection for Dr Ramana Rao and other medical professionals who were involved in the treatment of the late actor. In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, PHANA president Dr Prasanna H M had expressed concerns about “attempts by fans and well-wishers” to discuss the medical condition of the deceased, which he felt was “a gross violation of the healthcare privacy of an individual or a family”. “We strongly oppose attempts by the public to point fingers at the treating physicians, especially Dr Ramana Rao, who did his best,” Dr Prasanna wrote. The Association has also pointed out that certain TV and social media platforms were running narratives “blaming lack of care by the medical professionals” who offered services to the late actor. “This kind of judgemental and hypercritical media frenzy is creating distrust in society as well as risk to the lives of the medical professionals who served the deceased,” the letter stated.Further, PHANA also requested Bommai to give a public statement in an attempt to boost the morale of the medical fraternity. “After all, we know that the medical profession has limitations, and saving lives is not always possible,” the letter added.

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November 7, 2021 0

REEL HEROES Vs REAL HEROES

The old adage “All that glitters is not Gold” is particularly relevant in current era of media domination where media projection shapes the perception and may defy the reality. Media has dominated our lives and can sway the opinion formation of masses. Written media, television, social media can collectively influence the mass opinion.

Society, in general, needs to be wise enough to realize the importance of getting rid of these blinders in real life . One such factor that causes an illusional mist in the thoughts of masses is projection in films. They create a mirage of illusional glitter wherein there is blurring of real life from the reel life of heroes. The larger-than-life unreal persona of the celebrities on screen looks too charming and sometimes becomes undeniable and dominates mind of masses. The super-human characters played out in films appear to be real. The problem arises when the imaginary characters of the reel life stories are emulated in real life. Individuals as projected character fill in peoples’ imagination and are perceived as real and becomes ingrained in mind. The naivety of masses to perceive the projected character as real one goes beyond a reasonable thought process and imagination.

These roles played in films are not really act of inspiration in real life as the actual purpose accomplished in the end of a movie is entertainment of society and business for themselves. A recent candid admission by the actor Mr Irrfan Khan that film stars should not be role models was impressive (Hindustan times) .

At the best, a particular projected character (and not individual acting star) may be a role model. An actor or super star, is simply doing his work of “acting” in the end. This work of acting may bring an entertainment of few hours at the most.

One cannot stray away from the wisdom to choose between what we consume merely for our entertainment and what we believe or face in real life. One needs to differentiate between rationale truth behind the celebrity gimmicks in the media and exaggerated sensationalism. Sensation created merely for a commercial successful venture should not be allowed to overpower the judgments of real life.

But the problem starts, when these false perceptions created merely by a projected glimmer takes the shimmer away from the real worthy. The real professionals and people who are worthy of glory become invisible behind the glittery mist, a haze, which is unreal and unhelpful in real life.

A soldier contributes to our society much more in real terms. Even a junior doctor saves many lives in a day in emergencies as compared to work of a superstar in films. A teacher, nurse or scientist have contribution which is more fruitful to our generation. Also the scientists, who contribute immensely and bring about the real change in our lives. Their contribution is huge to our society and much more than doing just acting on screen. The reel actor merely imitates the real life lived and actual work done by real heroes like soldier, doctor or teacher. Someone who only acts and behaves like one, is respected and paid thousand times or more than the real one. In reality, people need more than mere entertainment and reel role models and actors in their real lives.

Compare the trivial amount of remuneration, fame and respect the real worker gets as compared to the film stars, who merely imitate their actions. Reel projection for purpose of entertainment is more easier to enact and more profitable than actual performance in real life. It is easier to become a reel hero, as it requires little hard work or just connections to get an opportunity. Some one can be a reel hero just by dynastic factor easily. Hard work is definitely required but that may or may not be prerequisite.

Even good films may raise some social problem, which everyone knows already and offer no practical solution in reality. Therefore what good it brings to the public, beyond entertainment, is any body’s guess. The persona, actors usually project on screen, may actually be far from his or her real personality. In most of cases, what he does in movies and reel life, is actually away from possibility of real life . But strangely in present era, people lose sight of what is mere perception. It is clearly a story, tale, a drama, a myth and is not the real identity of the people, we see on-screen.

In present era, real contributions by people, who are saviours of human life and the real heroes, remain unappreciated. People are so besotted by fame and money that they fail to appreciate the sacrifices made by real heroes. Filmy super hero just imitates a doctor, soldier, dacoit or a street hooligan and just pretends to be one on the screen.

But there are real life heroes that exist around us. Doctors awake at night saving lives every minute or soldier in freezing cold are worthy of more respect and are real heroes. And it is up to the society to look beyond the superficial and reel story, and focus on the real life actors. There has to be an true effort to make, respect and appreciate real heroes.

Point to ponder is that whether society needs people just acting like doctors, soldiers and not the actual and real ones, who saves lives. Does Society need only entertainment, because respect which is paid to someone who is just an actor, is not extended to real doctors, soldiers or other altruistic professions.

A reel hero who acts like a soldier, is famous and richer and than the actual soldier, who dies unnamed and in penury. Children of today’s times will strive to become, who is worshiped and paid respect by society and therefore will prefer to become reel heroes.

A society truly needs the real people, who work and act for them, more than just entertainment. It will need total change in attitude of people to deconstruct the perceptions, which are based on mere projections and are away from reality.

It is time to recreate and worship real heroes, who have become invisible behind the glittery mist.

Society needs to envisage the bigger real picture, and should not be mistaken for another projected story.

The perception of the projection will decide, what does the society actually need- or desire-or deserve , “Reel Heroes or Real Heroes”.

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October 20, 2021 0

Medical Education- a business: Supreme Court

The medical profession and education have become a business and now the regulation of medical education has also gone that way which is the nation’s tragedy, an anguished Supreme Court said on Tuesday, giving one chance to the Centre to put its “house in order” and take a call on reversing the changes made to the NEET Super Speciality Examination 2021 syllabus.

The apex court was not satisfied with the justification given by the Centre, National Board of Examination (NBE) and National Medical Commission (NMC) on making the last minute changes after the notification for examination was issued in July.

“This is how botched up our education system has become,” it said.

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud, Vikram Nath and B V Nagarathna in an over two hour hearing gave time to the Centre, NBE and NMC to come up with a solution by Wednesday morning and said it will continue hearing the matter to avoid any prejudice to the young doctors.

“This matter is part heard and you can still put your house in order, we will give you time until tomorrow. We will not adjourn the part heard matter now as this will only cause prejudice to the students but we hope better sense prevails. If there is a sense of obduracy, then we are armed with law and they are long enough to reach out to the obduracy. We are giving you one opportunity to reform,” the bench said.

The top court was hearing a batch of pleas of 41 Post Graduate doctors and others who have challenged the last minute changes made to the syllabus after the notification for examination was issued on July 23 for the test to be held on November 13 and 14.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, said the court should not get the impression that the last minute change in syllabus was done to fill vacant seats in private colleges and they will try to persuade the court to dispel this notion.

“We are getting a strong impression that the medical profession has become a business, medical education has become a business and the regulation of medical education has also become a business. That’s the tragedy of the nation,” the bench said.

The authorities should show some concern for the students, as these are the students who do not start preparation for these course two or three months in advance but right from the time they join a Postgraduate course, they aspire for a super speciality, which requires years of commitment, it said.

The government has to balance out the investment made by the private sector in these medical colleges but it should equally think in the interest of the medical profession and the interest of students, the top court said.

“The interest of students must weigh far higher because they are the people who are going to be a torch bearer of providing medical care and it seems perhaps we have forgotten them in the whole process,” it said.

The top court said that prior to 2018, 100 per cent questions came from the feeder courses; from 2018 to 2020 there was major modification under which 60 per cent marks were from super specialisation and 40 per cent from the feeder super specialisation courses.

“Now what is sought to be done is one hundred per cent questions will be from primary feeder speciality which is general medicines. It is completely overlooking the facts that you are fundamentally changing the examination pattern and you are doing it for an examination announced to be held in November, 2021,” it said.

The bench added that NBE and NMC are not doing any favour in asking the court to push back the examination by another two months.

It told Bhati, “It does not matter as these doctors will join the Super Speciality courses two months later, so long the seats are filled up it does not matter. This shows us the length to which your clients are willing to go to ensure that seats are filled up. Nothing should go vacant”.

Bhati said that seats going vacant is not the only consideration that has weighed on experts but it is the comparative opportunity and comparative ease which will be in larger public interest of the students that has weighed with the experts.

The bench said, “So what really happened is this for all specialisation of super speciality, starting from critical care medicines, cardiology, clinical haematology and other courses the specialisation is only going to be and the examination will be on general medicines.”

“The idea is that general medicine has the largest pool, the largest group in PG, so tap and fill up the vacant seats. That seems to be the logic behind this, nothing more and nothing less”.

The top court said, “You may have a rationale; we are not saying you may not have a rationale. The question is that all changes, which you have brought has caused serious prejudice to the students. Problem is that you didn’t plan for the future. You did not have a vision and all that you do is that just because you have a certain degree of authority you will exercise it in whatever time you want”.

Don’t treat young doctors as football in power game, says Supreme Court on changes in syllabus

The bench asked Bhati and senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for NBE, what was the great hurry to do it for this year as heavens would not have fallen except for the fact that some 500 seats would have remained vacant in some private medical colleges.

On September 27, the top court said, “Don’t treat young doctors as football in the game of power,” and warned the Centre that it may pass strictures if it is not satisfied with justification for last minute changes to the syllabus.

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October 8, 2021 0

Expensive Medical College Seat; A Bad Choice

expensive medical education, medical college seat, choosing medical carrier

In the present circumstances, when doctors themselves are doubtful about the advice for choosing medical career, some are naive enough to spend millions on securing an expensive medical college seat. Problems faced by doctors are not only innumerable but are also so exceedingly complex that they are difficult to be analysed. Doctors feel so disgusted about the entire system that they do not encourage their children to take up this profession which until now was one of the coveted ones, there must be something going terribly wrong with the profession. Following are the reasons, why spending a fortune on the medical college seat may be a bad idea, at least for the students from moderate family backgrounds.

1. Medical courses are comparatively lengthy and expensive courses and difficult training with slave like duties. “enslavement of doctors”.

2. Uncertain future for aspiring doctors at time of training: Nowadays, doing just MBBS is not enough and it is important to specialise. Because of lesser seats in post-graduation, poor regulation of medical education, uneven criteria, ultimately very few people get the branch and college of their choice. They have to just flow with system ultimately.

3.Hostile environment for doctors to begin: Suddenly young and bright children complete training and find themselves working in a hostile environment, at the receiving end of public wrath, law, media for reasons they can’t fathom. They face continuous negative publicity, poor infrastructure and preoccupied negative beliefs of society.

4. Difficult start of career: After a difficult time at medical college, an unsettled family life and with no money, these brilliant doctors begin their struggle. Even before they start earning a penny, the society already has its preconceived notions because of negative media publicity and half treats them as cheats and dishonest. Their work is seen with suspicion and often criticised.

5. The fear and anxiety about the actual treatment, favourable and unfavourable prognosis of patient, keeps mind of a doctor occupied.

6. Blamed for all malaise: The society gets biased because of the media reports and some celebrity talking glib against medical profession. The blame for inept medical system, administrative failure and complexity of medical industry is conveniently loaded on doctors. These lead to formation of generalised sentiment against all doctors and are then unfortunately blamed for all the malaise in the entire healthcare system.

7. Personal and family life suffers: Large number of patients with lesser number of doctors is a cause of difficult working circumstances, and the frequent odd hour duties have a very negative impact on the family and personal life of the doctor.

8. Risk to doctor himself: Repeated exposure to infected patients in addition to long work hours without proper meals make them prone to certain health hazards, like infections which commonly include tuberculosis and other bacterial and viral illnesses. Radiologists get radiation exposure. Because of difficult working conditions, some doctors are prone to depression, anxiety and may start on substance abuse.

9. Unrealistic expectations of society: Every patient is not salvageable but commonly the relatives do not accept this reality. Pressure is mounted on doctor to do more while alleging that he is not working properly. Allegations of incompetency and negligence are quite common in such circumstances. These painful discussions can go to any extent and a single such relative every day is enough to spoil the mood for the day.

10. Retrospective analysis of doctor’s every action continues all the life. It could be by patients and relatives every day in the form of “ Why this was not done before?” Everyday irritating discussions, arguments, complaints, disagreements add to further pain and discontentment, in case the patient is not improving, or it could be by courts and so many regulatory bodies. If unfortunately there is a lawsuit against a doctor, he will be wasting all his time with lawyers and courts, which will takes years to sort out.

The decision taken in emergency will be questioned and in retrospect they may not turn out to be the best one. But later with retrospective analysis along with wisdom of hindsight with luxury of time, may be labelled as wrong if a fault-finding approach is used. This along with general sentiment and sympathy with sufferer makes medical profession a sitting duck for lawsuit and punishments. Even if the doctor is proved to be not guilty, his harassment and tarnishing of reputation would be full and almost permanent.

11. Physical assault, routine instances of verbal abuse and threat are common for no fault of theirs. Many become punching bags for the inept medical system and invisible medical industry. Recently, even female doctors have not been spared by mobs. Silence of prominent people, celebrities and society icons on this issue is a pointer towards increasing uncivilized mind-set of society.

12. Medical industry may be rich but not the doctors: The belief that doctor’s is a rich community is not correct. Although decent or average earnings may be there, but earnings of most doctors is still not commiserate with their hard work viz-a-viz other professions. Doctors who also work like investor, a manager or collaborate with industry may be richer. But definitely most of doctors who are just doing medical care are not really rich.

13. Windfall profits for lawyers and law industry at the cost of doctors is a disadvantage for medical profession: I have seen zero fee and fixed commission ads on television by lawyers in health systems in certain developed countries. They lure patients to file law suits and promise them hefty reimbursements. There is no dearth of such relatives, lawyers who are ready to try their luck, sometimes in vengeance and sometimes for lure of money received in compensations. This encouragement and instigations of lawsuit against doctors is a major disadvantage for medical profession.

14. Overall, a complex scenario for doctors: There is increasing discontentment amongst doctors because of this complex and punishing system. They are bound by so many factors that they finally end up at the receiving end all the time. They are under Hippocratic oath and therefore expected to work with very high morality, goodwill and kindness for the sufferings of mankind and dying patients. They are also supposed to maintain meticulous documentation and also supposed to work under norms of medical industry. They are supposed to see large number of patients with fewer staff and nursing support while still giving excellent care in these circumstances. And if these were not enough, the fear of courts and medico-legal cases, verbal threats, abuses, and physical assaults and show of distrust by patient and relatives further makes working difficult. Additionally there may be bullying by certain administrative systems at places, who use pressure tactics to get their own way.

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June 6, 2021 0

Want to be a doctor? Medical Middleman may get you killed

Increasing murderous attacks and assaults on doctors is worrisome, an indicator of a lawless, uncivilized society, poor governance and broken health system.

Think of a profession, where a brilliant student studies hard for 10 to 15 years, does day and night duties, save innumerable lives. Start earning pittance and get conveniently labelled as thug, thief and butcher by Medical Middleman. These brilliant doctors can be abused, assaulted and dragged to courts with impunity. They have become sitting ducks for punishments and physical assaults or can get killed because of instigation created by MEDICAL MIDDLEMEN.

Role of media, celebrities, film stars and prominent personalities in spreading the hatred against the medical profession and creating an environment of mistrust is unpardonable.

Who are these Medical middlemen? How they have benefited enormously by using one single selective negative narrative?

All those, who with some clever tricks, have placed themselves between doctor and patients. They earn money by promoting mistrust between the two actual stake holders. These Middlemen have no stake, but still want to get benefited by stroking emotions.

One poor outcome out of millions lives saved, is enough for these opportunistic parasites to portray whole medical community as dystopian one.

Most important of these Middlemen are the ‘Reel heroes’ who in a quest to be projected as Real heroes, got placed themselves between doctor and patient by airing vague narratives. By self-appointing themselves as custodian of health of masses, ‘the Reel heroes’ and celebrities gave true meaning to their work of ‘ACTING’ that otherwise was no more than a trifling entertainment.

Media and many celebrities have used fear in public mind to garner accolades and money for themselves, but at the same time created paranoia in minds of people against medical profession. And when masses worshipped ‘the Stars’ as their true well-wishers, they aired advertisements to sell tobacco, soft drinks, junk foods and other sweet poisons to public and children.

Media and celebrities made money and fame by riding on the vulnerability of medical profession. By winning the faith by demonization of doctors, all these middlemen sold their products, news items shows and created a brisk business.

Words used cleverly by such middlemen are ‘Few Doctors’. What majority of other doctors do to save millions was not of much concern and consequence. Public would not know, how to differentiate good or bad ones.

But this was merely a posturing on television; to be a Real hero, actually signified nothing for those unknown ‘Few doctors’, but the denigration of medical profession and attempts to belittle the whole doctors’ community was full and complete. The mistrust generated and demonization of the real well wishers of the patients was irreversible.

These middlemen instigated masses against health care workers by their acidic comments and vitriolic spewed venomous words.

The consequence was the loss of trust on their doctors, the only ones, who were in position to help patients in the emergency situations. The taunts and torment on doctors multiplied manifold in many forms verbal, legal, abuse and physical assaults.

These MEDICAL MIDDLEMEN, with distorted projection earned huge accolades and money, but they promoted feelings of enmity or hatred between doctor and patient.

The aspiring doctors need to know the media role in today’s times. They would carry the image, whatever media projects. A clear understanding in required, before they sacrifice their youth and life without knowing what is in store for them at the end of the long tunnel of study and training.

Students while choosing medical career, should take a well informed decision before entering this profession, which is dangerous to doctor themselves even when discharging their duties in the best manner.

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June 4, 2021 2

Doctor’s assault a medical emergency: Silence of authorities appalling

Attacks and assaults on doctors is an indicator of a lawless, uncivilized society, poor governance and broken health system. Doctors have become punching bags for all the malaise prevalent in the system. A failing system which is unable to provide health to the people and security to doctors. The rickety system hides behind their hard working doctors and presents them as punching bags. The impunity with which attendant easily and brutally assault doctors is really appalling, should be shameful to law enforcing agencies.

Are we a lawless society? More problematic is the government apathy and silence of human right commission. Here comes the point that what is the role of our doctor’s organizations, human right organizations, parent hospitals and institutes.

Role of media, celebrities, film stars and prominent personalities in spreading the hatred against the medical profession and creating an environment of mistrust is unpardonable. They projected single stray incident as an example and portrayed as generalization just to earn money and fame for themselves.

Hence by selective projection the blame for deficiencies of inept system, powerful industry, inadequate infrastructure and poor outcomes of serious diseases is shifted conveniently to doctors, who were unable to retaliate to the powerful media machinery.

The demonstration of the cleft that separated doctors from the actual overpowering controlling medical industry and administrators is not given, in order to maintain the prejudice with its dangerous bias towards doctors, who are in forefront and are visible to public.

Unwillingness or failure of government to prevent such attacks on doctors will have deep ramifications on future of medical profession. Role of doctor associations, parent institutes have been spineless and not encouraging.

Such bestiality should create havoc in minds of civilized people but this apathy to such incidents clearly indicates otherwise. Have we become so uncivilized that an incident such as this just remains as a small news item in a local paper? Can’t we see that such incidents are harbinger of many more in future? It is important to realize that this is the time to unify and condemn such episodes vehemently and prominently so that the miscreants realize that they cannot get away with it.

Doctors in remote area, where there are minimal medical facilities, doctors are at more risk than ever; they are at mercy of local goons with no protection.

Silence of lords is a death sentence to the medical profession as a whole.

Doctor assault is definitely a poor advertisement for the medical students, who want to be doctors or others who want to buy a private medical college seat by paying millions. Why should one become doctor or pay millions and bear risk of being beaten or killed, while doing such a stressful duty. People will be fearful to be doctors on a free seat, leave alone on the paid seat.

The People who rue the scarcity of good doctors, should now introspect, “do they deserve to have good doctors?”

Advantages-Disadvantage of being a doctor

25 factors- why health care is expensive

REEL Heroes Vs Real Heroes

21 occupational risks to doctors and nurses

Covid paradox: salary cut for doctors other paid at home