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Doctors in India loot patients in many ways says Dr. B.M Hegde

Doctors in India loot patients in many ways says Dr. B.M Hegde

Doctors in India loot patients in many ways says Dr. B.M Hegde


Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi: Former Vice Chancellor of Manipal University and renowned physician, Dr B M Hegde exposes how a large number of doctors in many hospitals loot patients in order to keep their management happy and enrich their own pockets. Here is what Dr B M Hegde writes

 

Dr. B M Hegde

 
"Most of these observations are either completely or partially true. Corruption has many names, and one of civil society isn’t innocent either. Professionals and businessmen of various sorts indulge in unscrupulous practices. I recently had a chat with some doctors, surgeons and owners of nursing homes about the tricks of their trade. Here is what they said

1)      40-60% kickbacks for lab tests.
When a doctor (whether family doctor / general physician, consultant or surgeon) prescribes tests - pathology, radiology, X-rays, MRIs etc. - the laboratory conducting those tests gives commissions. In South and Central Mumbai -- 40%. In the suburbs north of Bandra -- a whopping 60 per cent! He probably earns a lot more in this way than the consulting fees that you pay.

2)      30-40% for referring to consultants, specialists & surgeons.
When your friendly GP refers you to a specialist or surgeon, he gets 30-40%.

3)      30-40% of total hospital charges.

If the GP or consultant recommends hospitalization, he will receive kickback from the private nursing home as a percentage of all charges including ICU, bed, nursing care, surgery.

4)      Sink tests.
Some tests prescribed by doctors are not needed. They are there to inflate bills and commissions. The pathology lab understands what is unnecessary. These are called "sink tests"; blood, urine, stool samples collected will be thrown.


Doctors loot


5)      Admitting the patient to "keep him under observation".

People go to cardiologists feeling unwell and anxious. Most of them aren’t really having a heart attack, and cardiologists and family doctors are well aware of this. They admit such safe patients, put them on a saline drip with mild sedation, and send them home after 3-4 days after charging them a fat amount for ICU, bed charges, visiting doctors fees.

6)      ICU minus intensive care.
Nursing homes all over the suburbs are run by doctor couples or as one-man-shows. In such places, nurses and ward boys are 10th cl-ass drop-outs in ill-fitting uniforms and bare feet. These "nurses" sit at the reception counter, give injections and saline drips, perform ECGs, apply dressings and change bandages, and assist in the operation theatre.

At night, they even sit outside the Intensive Care Units; there is no resident doctor. In case of a crisis, the doctor -- who usually lives in the same building -- will turn up after 20 minutes, after this nurse calls him. Such ICUs admit safe patients to fill up beds. Genuine patients who require emergency care are sent elsewhere to hospitals having a Resident Medical Officer (RMO) round-the-clock.

 

Doctors loot1


7)      Unnecessary caesarean surgeries and hysterectomies.
Many surgical procedures are done to keep the cash register ringing. Caesarean deliveries and hysterectomy (removal of uterus) are high on the list. While the woman with labour -pains is screaming and panicking, the obstetrician who gently suggests that caesarean is best seems like an angel sent by God! Menopausal women experience bodily changes that make them nervous and gullible. They can be frightened by words like " and "fibroids" that are in almost every normal woman’s radiology reports. When a gynaecologist gently suggests womb removal "as a precaution", most women and their husbands agree without a second’s thought.

8)      Cosmetic surgery advertized through newspapers.
Liposuction and plastic surgery are not minor procedures. Some are life-threateningly major. But advertisements make them appear as easy as facials and waxing. The Indian medical councilhas strict rules against such  misrepresentation. But nobody is interested in taking action.

9)       Indirect kickbacks from doctors to prestigious hospitals.
To be on the panel of a prestigious hospital, there is give-and-take involved. The hospital expects the doctor to refer many patients for hospital admission. If he fails to send a certain number of patients, he is quietly dumped. And so he likes to admit patients even when there is no need.

10)  "Emergency surgery" on dead body.
If a surgeon hurriedly wheels your patient from the Intensive Care Unit to the operation theatre, refuses to let you go inside and see him, and wants your signature on the consent form for "an emergency operation to save his life", it is likely that your patient is already dead. The "emergency operation" is for inflating the bill; if you agree for it, the surgeon will come out 15 minutes later and report that your patient died on the operation table. And then, when you take  delivery of the dead body, you will pay OT charges, anaesthesiologist’s charges, blah-blah-Doctors are humans too. You can’t trust them blindly.

Please understand the difference.

 

Doctors loot2

Young surgeons and old ones.


The young ones who are setting up nursing home etc. have heavy loans to settle. To pay back the loan, they have to perform as many operations as possible. Also, to build a reputation, they have to perform a large number of operations and develop their skills. So, at first, every case seems fit for cutting. But with age, experience and prosperity, many surgeons lose their taste for cutting, and stop recommending operations.


Physicians and surgeons.

To a man with a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Surgeons like to solve medical problems by cutting, just as physicians first seek solutions with drugs. So, if you take your medical problem to a surgeon first, the chances are that you will unnecessarily end up on the operation table. Instead, please go to an ordinary GP first Prof. B. M. Hegde, MD, FRCP, FRCPE, FRCPG, FRCPI, FACC, FAMS. Padma Bhushan Awardee 2010. Editor-in-Chief, The Journal of the Science of Healing Outcomes,Chairman, State Health Society’s Expert Committee, Govt. of Bihar, Patna.Former Prof. Cardiology, The Middlesex Hospital Medical School, University of London, Affiliate Prof. of Human Health, Northern Colorado.


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Comments on this Article
Dr Shashi Pal Singh, Solan ,Himachal Pradesh Sun, June-7-2020, 6:45
Fully agree ,private practice should be banned from claiming exorbitant charges ,and consumer laws should be amended to bring into its sphere the medical care ,so that compensation are heavy ,every doctor should give a video recording to patient ,doctors should be medically audited esp skunks ,bye pass surgery ,C sections hysterectomies etc procedures ,donation system to obtain MBBS ,/PG Degree should be abolished
mksingh, kanpur Thu, October-17-2019, 3:13
we all experience looting being done by private hospitals. There is system or check by government.to control them. Let us allow them to loot us, (common people). Such wealth creators must be respected by us.inka samman kiya jaanaa chaahiye.
Umadevi, Mumbai Fri, May-8-2015, 11:48
I respect the views given by Dr. Hegde. As a common man how can we stop such practices. It becomes a norm and everybody accepts it
Dr.P.Gurumurthi., Erode. Mon, October-20-2014, 5:07
sib,You are my role model.I refer you many times during my practice.What you said are known to almost to all.But doctors are alone not responsible.The Govt.,Society,and Industries are collectively responsible.
Arumeeth, Mangalore Mon, August-19-2013, 10:04
I agree with Dr Hegde B M Mangalore a great doctor indeed May God saraswathi bless him
sanket, gujarat Tue, August-13-2013, 4:02
thanks a lot for sharing all this information. we patients are many a times left helpless whom to consult if we dont want an operation
Kusuma Kumari G, Nellore/Manipal Sat, July-13-2013, 10:46
Every Doctor is a crook I feel They are ly interested in making money at any cost They dont care for human beings and theri life My father i remeber died in a nursing home in Mangalore Teh doctor didnt even come when he died I feel doctors are just money mongers , Unneccesary tests and treatments are doen all ay along for no reason I hate medical people
A. S. Mathew, U.S.A. Mon, May-20-2013, 12:19
Dr. Hegde, you are speaking nothing but the whole truth about the modern highway legal robbery of the medical system. The U.S. medical industry projected to be of $2.68 trillion for the year 2013 (national budget 15.5 trillion). The U.S. population visit the doctors five times/year than the people of Britain visit; however, in the standard of the healthcare, the U.S. is far behind England. The number of unnecessary referrals-operations-high tech testing and the massive death rate undertaken by the medical industry to rob us in daylight will bombard our brains.
Dr.H.S.Bawaskar, Mahad Raigad Maharashtra india 402301 Tue, March-19-2013, 12:01
Sir Totally aggree . Honesty sincerity , dedication and devotion became old ,aged , dishonor and marched to grave yard and pocking in to grave. Corruption is highly respected, overnourished , respected occupied shoulder high position. hope mother milk is free from corruption. The most vital point to note which is not mention is sponsorship of pharma companies. Conferences with dinner and cocktails, trours abroad sponsor by pharma companies. Government should investigate howmuch peer review publications from private and thier medical institutes. Doctor is student till death.
Dr.Vijayendra, Moodbidri Tue, January-22-2013, 8:17
Dear Sir, It shows your care towards society.240 years back at Germanny Founder of Homoeopathy Dr.Hahnemann said"Dare to be wise".Sir You belongs to this personality.Where you are trying to educate people by creating such awareness and being in the same profession.Truth remains truth only no one can change.Thank You Sir
Manurash Kaushal, Mumbai Wed, September-26-2012, 4:29
Thanks for such awareness, it is really Kaliyug. He missed to say some doctors remove organs kidney
Dr/ T.A.Koshy,M.D., Vas lane, Mangalore Mon, September-24-2012, 2:58
Whist conceding that Dr B.M.Hegde is a genius a highly sought after \’speaker\’. I have to state that Dr. Hegde\’s outburst against doctors- as looters is highly objectionable derogatory to his own profession.But he sometimes .Well , I have known Dr. Hegde for the last fifty years
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