My uncle (who had a device implanted 4 years ago to regulate his heartbeat) went into the ER one of the premium hospitals in our city (Fortis). He was having some weird symptoms, and his blood sugar was off. They strongly recommended that they upgrade his device to a pacemaker! (A highly expensive procedure). When my cousins refused, the hospital pumped him full of insulin and discharged him. He came home and relapsed again. This time he was taken to another hospital, and the problem was some infection in his kidney.
Another cousin: had a severe pain in his stomach area. Went to a hospital, they injected him with a painkiller and let him go. Pain continued: he went to another, same deal. Finally he got to a third hospital, and they diagnosed the problem: kidney stone.
There's caveat emptor for Indian hospitals. Be careful.
>>There's caveat emptor for Indian hospitals. Be careful.
Yes, as an Indian I can confirm this. Medical Malpractice is a big think in India. What makes it possible is doctors can get away from it. Any kind of criticism is not tolerated by the medical fraternity. Remember that program by Aamir Khan in Satyamev Jayate. There was a tremendous backlash from doctors as though it was their birth right to cheat.
A few things that ordinary Indians have to undergo everyday.
1. Doctors running polyclinics in areas they have no specialization in.
2. Polyclinics running mini-labs. To sustain which, doctors order pointless tests(especially blood work) which might not even be needed.
3. Commission deals with local pharmacy stores, so that they prescribe brands only available at that pharmacy in exchange for a commission.
4. Prolonging treatment to maximize net consultation fees. Prescribing drugs/tests to boost their commission.
5. Tests claimed to be done, which aren't. Also known as the 'basin test'. Collect the patients blood and throw it in the basic, cook up artificial numbers to make it look normal.
6. A while back I visited a hospital with my mom for arthritis. To my surprise they ordered an X-ray. Nurse tells us X-ray is the regular routine no matter what patient walks into the department. The Orthopedic apparently thinks its the best way for him to recover his money invested on a X-ray machine. Same goes for colonoscopy/MRI/CAT scan and other complicated tests.
7. In government hospitals nurses routinely ask for bribes from poor patients. Administering euthanasia for burn victims especially from poor families who can't afford long term health care in return for a bribe is common.
The list can go on and on...
I know a colleague who was verbally abused by a doctor for being 'a little intelligent', it was almost like he was furious the patient was resisting being cheated.
Foreign nationals may not face all this as they go to top line hospitals. But the ordinary Indian continues to suffer at these people's hand.
This is true. The big "chain" hospitals do have pushy tactics, doctors with lab prescription quotas etc. Similarly, but at the other end of the spectrum, there are hospitals in smaller towns that mistreat you or send you off with painkillers.
Clearly, your mileage will vary, so you have to do research, ie, talk to people you trust, much like everything else in India :)
I've had good experience with big "chain" hospitals, be it Apollo, Columbia Asia, Wockhardt, or whatever else. I never found them pushy. One of the docs from there quit and opened his own clinic. He doesn't even charge me for consultation. Don't know why.
Of course, doing your own research is critically important. Many doctors are dangerously ignorant of anything that doesn't come under their specialty.
My uncle (who had a device implanted 4 years ago to regulate his heartbeat) went into the ER one of the premium hospitals in our city (Fortis). He was having some weird symptoms, and his blood sugar was off. They strongly recommended that they upgrade his device to a pacemaker! (A highly expensive procedure). When my cousins refused, the hospital pumped him full of insulin and discharged him. He came home and relapsed again. This time he was taken to another hospital, and the problem was some infection in his kidney.
Another cousin: had a severe pain in his stomach area. Went to a hospital, they injected him with a painkiller and let him go. Pain continued: he went to another, same deal. Finally he got to a third hospital, and they diagnosed the problem: kidney stone.
There's caveat emptor for Indian hospitals. Be careful.