Hospital? Very Scarry!

Jaya Mami,
Thanks for the thought provoking thread.
Whatever I intend to point, I think Soka has already told here.

Just wanted to add another point here, I was astounded how any specialist could even think about giving medications without proper examination as you had told for your daughter. Whatever the capacity of the specialist maybe, there are still the same procedure of examination, investigations if relevant etc.

Well, I am not going to discuss much here. Regarding unwarranted investigations, which I think you are referring as 'Sink tests', I really can't tell without knowing much of the details. Yes, from a lay person's perspective the reasoning for the test may be considered as illogical or irrelevant, but without going much into the details of why it was done, and the rationale behind it being done, I am not in a position to relate to this.

BTW I am not that familiar with the current situation of medical practice in India, so I am unsure in a lot of details pertaining to these issues. I may not have been familiar with the commercialization of medical practice, but I am sure would be there, as it was always there I believe for many years. Infact there is not much control in this commercialization of medical hospitals, including colleges.

I am also not in favour of privatization of colleges, which are mushrooming in all aspects of education, let alone medicine. Always has been my ramblings on this subject alone.

Too many things to argue on, but I do appreciate you bringing this topic for forefront. For want of time, I have not been able to reply in detail.

Regards,
Vaidehi

 

This is true. There is certainly a price attached to branding.

This is true only in principle. In a poorly regulated market such as the one in India many factors come into play, including but not limited to poor manufacturing practices, substandard quality control, deliberate adulteration, use of low quality ingredients during production, poor removal of trace contaminants and so on. The labels may be the same, the constituent ingredients may appear to be the same, and yet mask a shoddy and dangerous product. Of course, in an Indian context, it cannot be taken for granted that brand name medications are genuine either. Re-bottling of expired medications has been recorded, as has the absolutely revolting practice of bleaching and repackaging of bandages - much rarer I hope! Here is a report on the FDA ban.

Not necessarily anymore. Many lists are available on the web. But you are right, a patient would be ill advised to switch drugs themselves.

This is doable. The US FDA is obligated by law to maintain such a list.

This story is horrifying. It highlights the weakness of a slow, ponderous and toothless legal system and the lack of genuine avenues of redress for people harmed by quacks.

PS: Even for an ostensibly 'simple' chemical such as calcium, there needs to be a careful manufacturing protocol to produce drugs for human consumption. As for the base chemical itself, many grades of quality, purity and certification are available. Here's one quick list to give you some idea. So, for example, a corrupt manufacturer could use 'technical' grade ingredients instead of 'U.S.P' grade to save money!

 

Dear Jayasala,

I had the worst experience at a leading hospital, where the Doctor refused to treat my mother for her spinal chord problem and asked me to take her home. But one kind neuro physician of the same hospital took her under his care, and the treatment took almost 6 months. Inspite of the best treatment given and lakhs of money spent, her condition has deteriorated over the years.
Even for getting a second opinion, the Hospital refused to hand over the documents to us and most of the leading doctors refused to give a second opinion, without having a personal look at the immobile and hospitalized patient. It was a crazy experience for us.
Most of the doctors are together in this mindless looting and unethical behaviour and it is very hard for a lay person to bell the cat.

Agatha83

 

Dear Smt. Jayasala:

What you have narrated is very scary to someone like me. I had the opportunity to view a program called "Neeya Naana?" a few months back and a lot of doctors jumped for telecasting a program which were not supported by facts. Even Kamalji mentioned in one of his earlier snippets about sink test and other malpractices in the healthcare industry in India.

Every healthcare system has its own benefits and drawbacks as well. When the doctors are trying to make quick money to compensate for what they have invested in in India, in the US payers determine what a patient would undergo in response to an ailment. Without getting prior approval from the insurance companies, no hospital will commence any procedure. The rule out possibilities are extraordinary here in the US due to medical malpractice law suits.

No profession in the world can be called noble anymore. While cleansing happens in so many areas, I don't understand why no effort is being made by the governments to kill this tendency to extort from innocent and poor patients under broad day light.

Hopefully, someday, the healthcare practices are regulated in India bringing some discipline in their malpractices. But they should not go to other extreme like in the US where every doctor spends several thousand dollars to protect themselves from medical malpractice lawsuits increasing the overall healthcare cost dramatically.

Viswa