<p>In these days of corporatisation of health care, doctors feel specialisation has sort of corrupted the system while people at large still prefer going to their family physician or to a known doctor rather than approach someone new. <br /><br />Metrolife interacted with a few doctors in the City to understand why people are beginning to lose their faith in doctors. People too don’t think twice before dubbing the hallowed medical profession as a ‘money making racket’. <br /><br />Dr Preeti Patil, visiting consultant psychiatrist, Narayana Hrudayalaya points out that quality health care is the biggest challenge facing the medical community and other health service providers today. “Provision of primary and secondary care in semi-urban and rural areas by experienced physicians and general practitioners, complemented by specialised medical services in tertiary care centres will help bridge the existing healthcare gap,” she says. <br /><br />She hopes that “greater accountability from medical professionals and uniformity of standards in hospitals will reduce cases of medical negligence and renew people’s faith in doctors.” Dr G G Gangdharan, Joint Director and senior Ayurvedic physician with Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Traditions, observes that the human touch among doctors has gone missing. “Sometimes doctors don’t even look at the patient’s face when prescribing the medicine. A doctor is also a counsellor who must spend some time talking to the patient. Fees is only incidental,” says Dr G G Gangdharan. He points out that after spending more than Rs 50 lakh on their medical courses, most doctors today strive to recover that money during the practice. <br /><br />The ordinary people don’t have anything positive to say about the medical fraternity. <br />After having heard and read enough about medical negligence and unnecessary medication, people say they would rather go to a familiar doctor than risk it with someone who does not know anything about his or her history, unless it’s a case where specialised care is called for. Joe Thomas, a software engineer with Nokia, says, “the doctors are in such a hurry that they prescribe the medicine even without looking at the patient’s face. They don’t have time to talk and explain about the illness. I would any day go to my family physician where I feel more secure.” <br /><br />Arun Padki, another IT professional, says he too is at home visiting a known doctor, “The doctor would never mislead me because it is just not the medical history that matters but the personal touch also. A friendly chat with the doctor clears all the cobwebs.” <br /><br />He says a known doctor helps when it comes to admission in a hospital, “They keep the patient waiting until all the long-drawn procedures are completed. A known face wouldn’t put you through all of that,” he adds. <br /><br />Vittalkumar Mirajkar, tech lead in McAfee, doesn’t mind travelling to his family physician in his hometown rather than going to an unknown doctor here in the City, “I’ve noticed that the doctors put patients through a lot of tests which are uncalled for. I always consult my doctor in my hometown whenever I fall ill. I wouldn’t get treated here in an unknown place,” he sums up.</p>
<p>In these days of corporatisation of health care, doctors feel specialisation has sort of corrupted the system while people at large still prefer going to their family physician or to a known doctor rather than approach someone new. <br /><br />Metrolife interacted with a few doctors in the City to understand why people are beginning to lose their faith in doctors. People too don’t think twice before dubbing the hallowed medical profession as a ‘money making racket’. <br /><br />Dr Preeti Patil, visiting consultant psychiatrist, Narayana Hrudayalaya points out that quality health care is the biggest challenge facing the medical community and other health service providers today. “Provision of primary and secondary care in semi-urban and rural areas by experienced physicians and general practitioners, complemented by specialised medical services in tertiary care centres will help bridge the existing healthcare gap,” she says. <br /><br />She hopes that “greater accountability from medical professionals and uniformity of standards in hospitals will reduce cases of medical negligence and renew people’s faith in doctors.” Dr G G Gangdharan, Joint Director and senior Ayurvedic physician with Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Traditions, observes that the human touch among doctors has gone missing. “Sometimes doctors don’t even look at the patient’s face when prescribing the medicine. A doctor is also a counsellor who must spend some time talking to the patient. Fees is only incidental,” says Dr G G Gangdharan. He points out that after spending more than Rs 50 lakh on their medical courses, most doctors today strive to recover that money during the practice. <br /><br />The ordinary people don’t have anything positive to say about the medical fraternity. <br />After having heard and read enough about medical negligence and unnecessary medication, people say they would rather go to a familiar doctor than risk it with someone who does not know anything about his or her history, unless it’s a case where specialised care is called for. Joe Thomas, a software engineer with Nokia, says, “the doctors are in such a hurry that they prescribe the medicine even without looking at the patient’s face. They don’t have time to talk and explain about the illness. I would any day go to my family physician where I feel more secure.” <br /><br />Arun Padki, another IT professional, says he too is at home visiting a known doctor, “The doctor would never mislead me because it is just not the medical history that matters but the personal touch also. A friendly chat with the doctor clears all the cobwebs.” <br /><br />He says a known doctor helps when it comes to admission in a hospital, “They keep the patient waiting until all the long-drawn procedures are completed. A known face wouldn’t put you through all of that,” he adds. <br /><br />Vittalkumar Mirajkar, tech lead in McAfee, doesn’t mind travelling to his family physician in his hometown rather than going to an unknown doctor here in the City, “I’ve noticed that the doctors put patients through a lot of tests which are uncalled for. I always consult my doctor in my hometown whenever I fall ill. I wouldn’t get treated here in an unknown place,” he sums up.</p>
