Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Monday slammed the attitude of hospitals & doctors towards patients.
When the court remarked that earlier family physicians would diangnose an illness without ordering a battery of tests and X-rays as they do now, Rui Rodrigues, counsel for the association of medical Consultants, agreed, saying, “The clinical diagnosis then was much better.”
Rodrigues, however, explained that with the consumer protection Act in place, doctors had to take certain safeguards. “If something goes wrong, questions are asked as to why investigations were not directed to be done.” He said.
Justice V M Kanade short back, “Less said the better… What doctors do and what they should do.” Advocate Diwakar Dwivedi, who appeared in both cases where the patients were detained, said, “Without visiting the patient, a doctor had charged his fee.”
This prompted the judges to respond that everyone has had a bad experience with doctors at some point of time.
“All of us have suffered, one time or the other at the hands of doctors. Few litigants come to court,” Justice Kanade said, adding those who do not “ensure that they don’t suffer at the hands of lawyers”. Rodriuges countered that hospitals suffer more when they are not paid their bills.
The matter will be heard next on November 18 when the judges will pass directions.