HEALTH CARE A MERE BUSINESS FOR PRIVATE HOSPITALS ?

We are having plenty of private hospitals and authorities of these hospitals proudly boast  that they are well-equipped at diagonising accurately and  providing effective  treatment for any disease. There is a general belief amongst the people that while Government hospitals including medical colleges are fraught with corruption and hence common man cannot get proper treatment without paying bribe, making the role of private hospitals vital in the field of treatment. Incidentally, falling prey to such a belief, even those sections of people who are backward and who cannot afford to get treatment from these hospitals also are forced to seek treatment  from them incurring heavy expenditure. Whether the theory that the people are able to get effective and proper treatment in private hospitals is borne out of facts or is it a myth?  This doubt arises in view of the experiences of many people who have undergone treatment at various  private hospitals.  Let us examine this in the following paragraphs.

Five years back one of my wife’s close relations  had developed some serious uneasiness and fatigue and sought medical help from Amrutha hospital, Ernakulam.  In the process of the treatment, she had to undergo different medical examinations/tests etc., and finally the doctor has diagnosed it as a case of diabetes and she was advised to follow treatment for the same. Needless to state,   In accordance with the   doctor’s advice she  has been taking medicines for diabetes for the last 5 years.  Nevertheless, as ill luck would have it, a fortnight back that person has developed severe uneasiness and fatigue and was about to collapse upon which she was admitted to Lake Shore Hospital, Ernakulam.  To the utter dismay and disbelief of the said patient and relations, when she has undergone medical tests in the said hospital, she was found to be having 4 blocks in the artery, one being a big one that had developed 5 years ago when she had undergone treatment at Amrutha Hospital, Ernakulam .  Subsequently, she has undergone angioplasty for removal of the 3 blocks and viewing the condition of her health the doctors has opined that  the big block cannot be removed  alongwith others.  Accordingly, she had to remain  in the ICU for 4-5 days and was discharged with the advice that she had to take rest for one year.  Nevertheless, unfortunately after 3 days of her discharge from Lake Shore Hospital, she had suffered  heart attack leading to  her hospitalization at Lake Shore Hospital and even before the doctors could do anything she has breathed her last.   Who is responsible for her unfortunate death?  It goes without saying that had the doctors at Amrutha Hospital properly diagnosed her complications and found out the correct disease she could have taken proper treatment by doing  angioplasty in time for the block that had developed and it would not have resulted in such an unfortunate situation wherein the 1^st block has become big followed by  development of other 3 blocks.  To say the least, this is a reflection on the functioning of Amrutha Hospital and speak volumes of  poor diagnosis standard prevalent in that hospital.

I also know of the experience of a friend of mine   had with PVS Hospital, Ernakulam.  That is to say, he was experiencing stomach ache was admitted to that hospital who was diagnosed by them to be having irritable bowels syndrome Consequently, he  was pursuing treatment for the same.  However, after elapsing of many years it turned out  to be different case, giving a lie to the diagnosis made by the doctors at PVS Hospital.  I am sure that with this the list of such instances will not be exhaustive.

Last but not the least, some doctor at a Medical College had once told me about the incidence of  patients who had undergone treatment in different private hospitals and were not diagnosed properly are getting admitted to Medical College in a complicated condition. Undoubtedly, it  makes a sad commentary on the performance of the private hospitals.