New Delhi: An open secret for long, all over India, is now really out in the open. The Union health minister told the Lok Sahbha that that patients are subjected to unnecessary tests by the doctors who are guided by the “lucre of commissions” offered by diagnostic centres.
He also expressed concern that there is likely a “cartelization” among diagnostic centres and pathological laboratories in Delhi.
“A kind of cartelization has resulted in so far as this aspect of the medical economy of Delhi is concerned. All the private laboratories and diagnostic centres charge roughly the same amounts for pathological tests and clinical examinations. Patients have no option but to pay up the exorbitant fees…This exacerbates their physical and mental agony,” he said.
The good news is that he said that the government is considering to bring some type of oversight for pathological laboratories and diagnostic centres to end the corrupt practices including possible nexus between doctors and the laboratories, and cartelization among diagnostic centres.
All of this Vardhan said as he was laying a statement in the House on a sting operation by a private TV channel, which exposed some doctors collecting 30-50% commissions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), CT Scans, ultra sound, routine pathological tests.
On the likely doctor and diagnostic centre nexus, the minister said that the “racket” is leading to unjustified profit margins. “This is apparent from the rate of commissions paid. In quite a few parts of the sting operation, the staff of the diagnostic centres reveal that they pay referring doctors as much as 50% commission on expensive tests like MRI. This indicates that even after paying the huge rate of commission these clinics report good profits,” Vardhan said.
The minister said “nefarious” practices are thriving in the medical sector and patients need to be protected from them. Stating that accepting commissions is a violation of code of ethics, the minister said he has written to the president of Medical Council of India (MCI) to call an emergency meeting of its ethics committee and post the minutes of the meeting on its website.
“The laissez faire spirit that dominates this business in India works to the disadvantage of the consumer and needs correction,” he said.
Underlining the need to codify laws relating to clinical/ diagnostic examinations, Vardhan said his ministry is drawing up a panel of reputed medical practitioners and consumer law experts to suggest measures for introducing greater transparency and accountability in medical practices.
In the Rajya Sabha, the Congress MP Shantaram Naik raise the issue of the rising cost of health care during zero hour. He said hospitals should not be allowed to trade in medical devices and charge high prices for these from patients.
