HOW TO PROTECT THE PATIENT'S RIGHTS IN INDIA

In Doctor at Home, a Fitness-Health book written by my wife Jagjit and me, a whole chapter describes the patient's rights. And the doctor's. I haven't seen even a mention of rights in other Health books written for the public in India. We have many illiterate patients with no clue about their rights. And, often, educated patients assume that once they go to a doctor or hospital they themselves have no part to play in treatment decisions. The result? Doctors are increasingly conditioned by the situation to take the patient for granted..

Recently, I went to my dentist. I needed a root canal and minor surgery for a cyst. On the second day my dentist finished the root canal. Then an unknown came over, said 'I'm Dr. X,' and pulled on his gloves to do the surgery. I could have got up and made a scene. Instead, I said, 'Can you tell me a bit more about yourself?' Later I took up the issue with my dentist.

A patient's rights are essentially basic individual rights. But the crux is his right to know who is going to do what on him in advance - except in an emergency. A patient has the right to talk to the doctor and, if he's genuinely uncomfortable with the doctor's credentials or a procedure, to seek a second opinion or even go to another doctor.

I have given a small example of how patients' rights are often overlooked or violated in our country. The situation will change only if patients and their families are aware of their rights and stand up for those rights. And that can at times save them a lot of sorrow.It's no use blaming everything on fate. I am compiling examples of the pain caused to families by ignoring patients' rights - to make my point clearer in the book I'm working on.
(For more INDIA REALITIES stories, see other blogs here and at www.myspace.com/india_realities) My latest blog at Myspace is: SHOULD COUNTRIES BE INSURED AGAINST BIG CEO GAMES? :