Exorbitant medical bills

Commercialization of medicine to blame

Punish the few not taint the majority

I refer to “Sick of docs who overcharge” (Star,Dec.4).

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek’s revelation that a patient who was checked on 15 times a day while he was staying at a private hospital was charged RM3,000 was shocking but more shocking was the way he publicly chastised the doctors in private practice.

The Health Ministry has the right to protect the rights of the patients at all times. It should ensure that private hospitals and doctors adhere to a fixed schedule of fees that is reasonable. Errant hospitals and medical practitioners should be taken to task if found to have breached this fees schedule.

However the Health Minister’s castigation of private doctors in the media gives the public a very wrong picture of these doctors and the medical profession. It implies that these doctors are just out to make quick profits and such unscrupulous practices are widespread.

As in all professions there will be some black sheep in the fraternity. Instead of identifying them and taking disciplinary action against them, it is unfortunate that the Health Minister chose to highlight it in the media. This does not augur well for the morale of these doctors; the majority of whom are dedicated and have great concern for the welfare of their patients. Most of them keep their charges well below the MMA recommended fees schedule.

Dr.Chua should stop blaming the private doctors and hospitals for the escalating cost of medical care. With the cost of drugs and equipment increasing by the day, there is no way but to pass down the cost to the patients. In most cases the doctors’ fees constitute just a fraction of the total bill incurred.

He should instead help the public to appreciate the numerous problems and risks a private specialist is subjected to in managing the patients. This will go a long way to a better doctor-patient relationship.

Today with so many private hospitals and specialists and sub-specialists, life for a new specialist can be highly competitive and tough. It is not as rosy as what has been painted out to be. They function as a houseman, medical officer and sometimes even as a nurse. When he is on leave or incapacitated by illness there total loss of income.

Furthermore nowadays expectations from patients can be very demanding and at times unrealistic. Litigation risks are on the rise and patients are quick to sue the doctors for even acceptable complications. To make matters worse the media is quick to sensationalize such cases which adversely affect the reputation of the doctors concerned.

To add to his burden, most private hospitals these days experience acute shortage of trained nurses which affects the quality of patient care for which the doctor is finally responsible to the patient and his relatives. Caring for an ill patient with insufficient trained and experienced staff can be extremely stressful for the doctor, who unlike his counterparts in the government hospitals is all alone to manage such cases.

Then there are the over-demanding patients and relatives who are highly suspicious and question every step in the management of the patient. Their attitude often irritates and shatters the confidence of even the most experienced doctor. As a precautionary measure doctors are forced to refer them to multiple specialists and unwarranted tests are ordered incurring additional costs which are later queried by the patient himself and the insurance companies.

The problems of our medical services are basically due to the fact it has become a business venture. As Dr. Chua himself admits “It is not just to look after the sick but also a business undertaking where the profit line is important to shareholders”.

It is very unfortunate that due to the commercialization of medicine, doctors instead of focusing their time, energy and skills in treating the sick, are forced to become business managers as well in order to survive in a highly competitive medical business. Who is to blame if in this business, medical ethics take a back seat to monetary profits?

Dr.Chris Anthony