Cases of medical malpractices are widely reported from across India. A lot of violence is also reported against doctors and other healthcare professionals. Why do these all happen? Are doctors alone responsible for these or consumerism and unrealistic expectations from doctors, and spiralling healthcare costs responsible too?

 

The profession of medical practice is changing its shape. From being an art, it has become one dependent on machines. The cost of setting hospitals has gone through roof. An MRI machine costs five crores. As government has failed to provide healthcare to masses, private sector has come in a big way in providing healthcare facilities and they are obviously not on a charitable mission; they want to make money as fast as others are making in other businesses. So how do they go about it? They do it through the doctors, forcing them into malpractices and violation of code of conduct. The common medical malpractices are referrals, fee sharing, commission from diagnostic labs and favours from pharmaceutical companies. Consent is also a concern which needs to be addressed.