In several ‘sick’ hospitals, doctors are first casualty
Of 23 Pvt Medical Colleges In Kerala, Only 5 Pay Docs On Time
Preetu.Nair@timesgroup.com
Kochi:21.03.2019
Wedged between corporate hospitals with deep pockets and a vastly improved public healthcare system, mid-level private hospitals across Kerala are either not paying their doctors on time or forcing them to accept drastic pay cuts. In some hospitals, they are even retrenching doctors. The most affected are 50 to 100-bed hospitals. Private medical colleges too are in this unenviable position — of the 23 private medical colleges, only about five are at present paying their doctors on time.
“It is true that many hospitals are unable to pay their doctors on time. Even senior specialist doctors are affected”, Indian Medical Association (IMA) state secretary Dr N Sulphi said. According to IMA Kerala estimates, of the 800-odd 50 plus-bedded healthcare institutions in the state, around 100 hospitals spread across all districts, are facing severe financial crisis and unable to pay their doctors’ salaries.
Ironically, Kerala’s remarkably high doctor-to-population ratio — WHO prescribes a doctor-population ratio of 1:1000, while in Kerala the ratio is 1:300 — could be at the root of the problem. There are around 70,000 doctors registered with Travancore Cochin Medical Council (TCMC) in Kerala, of around 55,000 are practising in Kerala. Of the 55,000, almost 50% are specialist doctors and get on an average ₹1.25 lakh to ₹1.5 lakh salary per month. There are around 1,200 super-specialist doctors registered in the state and on an average, they get anything between ₹2.5 lakh and ₹3 lakh per month. In a good hospital that has been in existence for more than 4 to 5 years, the doctor’s salary constitutes 20% of the total cost.
“Unlike in the past, when hospitals were after doctors, now the whole thing has reversed. Some are even forced to take a salary cut while taking a new job,” Dr Sulphi said. With almost 60% to 70% doctors working as consultants, they don’t even have proper leave facility. They are paid for the service they give and there are no social security measures in place. With more doctors losing jobs, IMA has intervened in the matter and asked hospitals to at least honour contracts.
“We spend crores of rupees to set up speciality units but often doctors are unable to live up to the expectation and we don’t even get enough money to repay loans. Then we are left with only two options, either reduce doctor’s salary or close down the unit,” said Kerala Private Hospitals Association (KPHA president Dr P K Mohamed Rasheed.
“The minimum wage rollout has created economic stress for everybody in the system. To pay salaries, the hospitals were forced to raise their tariff and patients who couldn’t afford to pay have shifted to other hospitals resulting in lack of volume for these hospitals,” said Dr Harish Pillai, president, AHPI – Kerala Chapter Association of Healthcare Providers (India).
Health experts said that the healthcare scenario in Kerala is undergoing major changes now and the private hospitals that came up when government healthcare system had stagnated is now struggling to survive with increased competition from corporate hospitals and now improved facilities in the government sector.
Kerala State Planning Board member Dr B Eqbal said, “With facilities in the government hospitals improving, people are opting to go to the government hospital for treatment and definitely this has reduced the rush of patients to private hospitals. From just 25 % patients availing healthcare services at government hospitals in the past, now it is jumped to 40 %. Our target is to reach 60 % of the population. If this happens, the private hospitals will further be affected”.
Of 23 Pvt Medical Colleges In Kerala, Only 5 Pay Docs On Time
Preetu.Nair@timesgroup.com
Kochi:21.03.2019
Wedged between corporate hospitals with deep pockets and a vastly improved public healthcare system, mid-level private hospitals across Kerala are either not paying their doctors on time or forcing them to accept drastic pay cuts. In some hospitals, they are even retrenching doctors. The most affected are 50 to 100-bed hospitals. Private medical colleges too are in this unenviable position — of the 23 private medical colleges, only about five are at present paying their doctors on time.
“It is true that many hospitals are unable to pay their doctors on time. Even senior specialist doctors are affected”, Indian Medical Association (IMA) state secretary Dr N Sulphi said. According to IMA Kerala estimates, of the 800-odd 50 plus-bedded healthcare institutions in the state, around 100 hospitals spread across all districts, are facing severe financial crisis and unable to pay their doctors’ salaries.
Ironically, Kerala’s remarkably high doctor-to-population ratio — WHO prescribes a doctor-population ratio of 1:1000, while in Kerala the ratio is 1:300 — could be at the root of the problem. There are around 70,000 doctors registered with Travancore Cochin Medical Council (TCMC) in Kerala, of around 55,000 are practising in Kerala. Of the 55,000, almost 50% are specialist doctors and get on an average ₹1.25 lakh to ₹1.5 lakh salary per month. There are around 1,200 super-specialist doctors registered in the state and on an average, they get anything between ₹2.5 lakh and ₹3 lakh per month. In a good hospital that has been in existence for more than 4 to 5 years, the doctor’s salary constitutes 20% of the total cost.
“Unlike in the past, when hospitals were after doctors, now the whole thing has reversed. Some are even forced to take a salary cut while taking a new job,” Dr Sulphi said. With almost 60% to 70% doctors working as consultants, they don’t even have proper leave facility. They are paid for the service they give and there are no social security measures in place. With more doctors losing jobs, IMA has intervened in the matter and asked hospitals to at least honour contracts.
“We spend crores of rupees to set up speciality units but often doctors are unable to live up to the expectation and we don’t even get enough money to repay loans. Then we are left with only two options, either reduce doctor’s salary or close down the unit,” said Kerala Private Hospitals Association (KPHA president Dr P K Mohamed Rasheed.
“The minimum wage rollout has created economic stress for everybody in the system. To pay salaries, the hospitals were forced to raise their tariff and patients who couldn’t afford to pay have shifted to other hospitals resulting in lack of volume for these hospitals,” said Dr Harish Pillai, president, AHPI – Kerala Chapter Association of Healthcare Providers (India).
Health experts said that the healthcare scenario in Kerala is undergoing major changes now and the private hospitals that came up when government healthcare system had stagnated is now struggling to survive with increased competition from corporate hospitals and now improved facilities in the government sector.
Kerala State Planning Board member Dr B Eqbal said, “With facilities in the government hospitals improving, people are opting to go to the government hospital for treatment and definitely this has reduced the rush of patients to private hospitals. From just 25 % patients availing healthcare services at government hospitals in the past, now it is jumped to 40 %. Our target is to reach 60 % of the population. If this happens, the private hospitals will further be affected”.
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