Tension in the air as patients lose confidence in white coats
|
Ekatha Ann
|
|
|
Rising Medical Costs & Access To Online Med Facts Make Patients Sceptics
D Rajasekaran's most vivid
childhood memories were his visits to Dr Rao's clinic on Purasawalkam
High Road. Spiders bouncing off cobwebs distracted him when the syringe
came out and colourful candies in a cloudy glass jar dulled the bitter
taste of syrups. But today it is the physician's toothy grin the
83-year-old misses the most every time he steps into the spartan
interiors of a corporate hospital. “I don't trust doctors anymore,“
he says, plaintively . The reason for the retired government employee's
cynicism is mirrored in a recent study undertaken by the Indian Medical
Association (IMA). Against the backdrop of escalating attacks on doctors
-with three instances of violence in Chennai and Mumbai in March alone
-the doctors' body undertook a survey of 1,000 patients across the
country to gauge the opinion of patients about doctors.
The response of half of the patients raised eyebrows in the association: Doctors, patients said, should say `thank you' more often.
Around 90% of patients said they wished doctors listened to their health woes in detail during the first consultation, and 85% wanted physicians to disclose information related to all treatments, procedures and risks. Four in every five patients said doctors should consider the patient's opinion on the course ahead.
“It proved our hypothesis.Patients, many of whom are armed with `Googled' knowledge, don't trust us anymore,“ said Dr K K Aggarwal, president of IMA, which has more than 2.8 lakh registered members. He said there was a time when patients trusted all doctors. “Then there was an era where patients trusted only their family physicians and no one else. Now, they don't believe anyone who wears a white coat,“ said Dr Aggarwal, adding that the sentiment was ushered in by the “onslaught of digital media“. The association will now submit the findings to the Medical Council of India -the regulatory body responsible for overseeing medical education -to highlight the importance of incorporating soft skills into the medical curriculum.
The reason for the simmering tension may be just impulse or festering trust issues. According to Dr Amar Jesani, editor of the Indian Journal of Medical Ethics, attacks on doctors in government hospitals don't really stem from trust deficit as much as frustration over limited resources and longer waiting time.“On the other hand, private practitioners are mostly attacked because patients don't see them as saviours but mercenaries.“
Jesani said rising medical costs have also resulted in increased expectation.
Dr Priya Kannan, gynaecologist and obstetrician who runs two fertility clinics in Kodambakkam and Trichy , has been at the receiving end of this sentiment. In 2012, a patient in labour had developed excessive bleed ing. “We referred the infant to a reputed nenonatal inten sive care unit in the city.
But it died of kidney failure,“ said Dr Kannan, who had to seek police protec tion after the family vandalised the hos pital. Kannan's mother, who is also a gynaecologist, has seen five maternal deaths in 40 years and not once has she seen such vio lence, she said.
It isn't just long er waiting time and the glint of expen sive equipment that are creating an environment of distrust. Aggressive mar keting by corporate hospitals, especially fertility centres, is pushing away patients more than drawing them in. Market analyst Harish Bijoor said certain sectors like healthcare and education already have a certain degree of credibility attached to them without marketing. “They are sacred spaces.When you touch them with the dirty hands of marketing, you don't just sully them but people start doubting them,“ he said.
In the face of growing attacks, in 2008, the state had introduced the Tamil Nadu Medicare Services Personnel and Services Institutions (Prevention of violence and damage or loss of people) Act, more commonly known as the Hospitals Protection Act. This contains provisions for jail terms for violence. However, the legislation is yet to be implemented.
“In the last few years, there have been around 40 arrests, but no convictions,“ said Dr P Balakrishnan, state secretary of Tamil Nadu government doctors' association. He said private doctors, as a result of the attacks, are apprehensive about taking critically ill patients fearing a backlash.
“Government doctors, on the other hand, don't have a choice.We all are trying to work with whatever resources are given to us,“ he said.
The response of half of the patients raised eyebrows in the association: Doctors, patients said, should say `thank you' more often.
Around 90% of patients said they wished doctors listened to their health woes in detail during the first consultation, and 85% wanted physicians to disclose information related to all treatments, procedures and risks. Four in every five patients said doctors should consider the patient's opinion on the course ahead.
“It proved our hypothesis.Patients, many of whom are armed with `Googled' knowledge, don't trust us anymore,“ said Dr K K Aggarwal, president of IMA, which has more than 2.8 lakh registered members. He said there was a time when patients trusted all doctors. “Then there was an era where patients trusted only their family physicians and no one else. Now, they don't believe anyone who wears a white coat,“ said Dr Aggarwal, adding that the sentiment was ushered in by the “onslaught of digital media“. The association will now submit the findings to the Medical Council of India -the regulatory body responsible for overseeing medical education -to highlight the importance of incorporating soft skills into the medical curriculum.
The reason for the simmering tension may be just impulse or festering trust issues. According to Dr Amar Jesani, editor of the Indian Journal of Medical Ethics, attacks on doctors in government hospitals don't really stem from trust deficit as much as frustration over limited resources and longer waiting time.“On the other hand, private practitioners are mostly attacked because patients don't see them as saviours but mercenaries.“
Jesani said rising medical costs have also resulted in increased expectation.
Dr Priya Kannan, gynaecologist and obstetrician who runs two fertility clinics in Kodambakkam and Trichy , has been at the receiving end of this sentiment. In 2012, a patient in labour had developed excessive bleed ing. “We referred the infant to a reputed nenonatal inten sive care unit in the city.
But it died of kidney failure,“ said Dr Kannan, who had to seek police protec tion after the family vandalised the hos pital. Kannan's mother, who is also a gynaecologist, has seen five maternal deaths in 40 years and not once has she seen such vio lence, she said.
It isn't just long er waiting time and the glint of expen sive equipment that are creating an environment of distrust. Aggressive mar keting by corporate hospitals, especially fertility centres, is pushing away patients more than drawing them in. Market analyst Harish Bijoor said certain sectors like healthcare and education already have a certain degree of credibility attached to them without marketing. “They are sacred spaces.When you touch them with the dirty hands of marketing, you don't just sully them but people start doubting them,“ he said.
In the face of growing attacks, in 2008, the state had introduced the Tamil Nadu Medicare Services Personnel and Services Institutions (Prevention of violence and damage or loss of people) Act, more commonly known as the Hospitals Protection Act. This contains provisions for jail terms for violence. However, the legislation is yet to be implemented.
“In the last few years, there have been around 40 arrests, but no convictions,“ said Dr P Balakrishnan, state secretary of Tamil Nadu government doctors' association. He said private doctors, as a result of the attacks, are apprehensive about taking critically ill patients fearing a backlash.
“Government doctors, on the other hand, don't have a choice.We all are trying to work with whatever resources are given to us,“ he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment