DOCTORS' DILEMMA

Putting an end to the private practice of Medical college teachers is a progressive and bold decision taken by the health minister which will do a lot in helping the people in getting better service of these doctors. Poor people are the most beneficial as the rich can afford the expensive private hospitals. Teaching and OP are presently done by these doctors as a ritual as their mind is always busy calculating the patients waiting in their private consulting rooms. Some of them even conducting surgery at private hospitals during duty time in Medical college. Now the things will change and the medical college students also can expect better classes.

Stopping of private practice will not affect the private patients as there are enough retired doctors in the field.

With the pay hike the doctors are getting handsome pay packets but they do not seem to be happy. It is quite natural as Government cannot compensate the huge earnings they made from private practice. Other than the salary the doctors have a social commitment as their study was part financed by the people. So they should stop grumbling and dedicate their time to attend the poor patients coming to the medical college hospitals. Most of their private patients are the OP patients of the hospitals who do it as a short cut to enter hospital or the in patients who do this for getting prompt and better treatment there.

First the doctors should realize the REALITY that they are getting a large clientele of private patients only because of their label as doctor in the medical college and the reputation they build throughout their career in Government service. So none of them will dare to resign and start private practice. So the Health Minister can very well proceed. Only thing the minster has to take care is to arrange all the ancillary facilities such as scan etc. and ensuring its uninterrupted and smooth functioning in the hospitals to optimum utilize the extended service of these doctors.

Law may not be forbidding doctors from taking money but the doctors must see that the patients are so poor and coming to their private practice only because they are not getting treatment from the same doctors at the hospitals. Doctors, you are the saviors of the poor patients. “So do not fix your attention on what your fee is to be. A worry of this nature is likely to harm the patient, particularly if the disease be an acute one. Hold fast to reputation rather than profit”.