10 ways how doctors in India cheat patients

A renowned physician Dr B M Hegde Former Vice Chancellor of the Manipal University – has shown how a large number of doctors working in five-star hospitals shortchange patients in order to keep their management happy and enrich their own pockets. “I recently had a chat with some doctors, surgeons and owners of nursing homes about the tricks of their trade. Here is what they said.”

1) 40-60% kickbacks for lab tests.
When a doctor (whether family doctor / general physician, consultant or surgeon) prescribes tests – pathology, radiology, X-rays, MRIs etc. – the laboratory conducting those tests gives commissions. In South and Central Mumbai — 40%. In the suburbs north of Bandra — a whopping 60 per cent! He probably earns a lot more in this way than the consulting fees that you pay.
 

2) 30-40% for referring to consultants, specialists surgeons.
When your friendly GP refers you to a specialist or surgeon, he gets 30-40%.

 
3) 30-40% of total hospital charges.
If the GP or consultant recommends hospitalization, he will receive kickback from the private nursing home as a percentage of all charges including ICU, bed, nursing care, surgery.

4) Sink tests.
Some tests prescribed by doctors are not needed. They are there to inflate bills and commissions. The pathology lab understands what is unnecessary. These are called “sink tests”; blood, urine, stool samples collected will be thrown.

5) Admitting the patient to “keep him under observation”.
People go to cardiologists feeling unwell and anxious. Most of them aren’t really having a heart attack, and cardiologists and family doctors are well aware of this. They admit such safe patients, put them on a saline drip with mild sedation, and send them home after 3-4 days after charging them a fat amount for ICU, bed charges, visiting doctors fees.

6) ICU minus intensive care.
Nursing homes all over the suburbs are run by doctor couples or as one-man-shows. In such places, nurses and ward boys are 10th cl-ass drop-outs in ill-fitting uniforms and bare feet. These “nurses” sit at the reception counter, give injections and saline drips, perform ECGs, apply dressings and change bandages, and assist in the operation theatre. At night, they even sit outside the Intensive Care Units; there is no resident doctor. In case of a crisis, the doctor — who usually lives in the same building — will turn up after 20 minutes, after this nurse calls him. Such ICUs admit safe patients to fill up beds. Genuine patients who require emergency care are sent elsewhere to hospitals having a Resident Medical Officer (RMO) round-the-clock.

7) Unnecessary caesarean surgeries and hysterectomies.
Many surgical procedures are done to keep the cash register ringing. Caesarean deliveries and hysterectomy (removal of uterus) are high on the list. While the woman with labour -pains is screaming and panicking, the obstetrician who gently suggests that caesarean is best seems like an angel sent by God! Menopausal women experience bodily changes that make them nervous and gullible. They can be frightened by words like ” and “fibroids” that are in almost every normal woman’s radiology reports. When a gynaecologist gently suggests womb removal “as a precaution”, most women and their husbands agree without a second’s thought.

8) Cosmetic surgery advertized through newspapers.
Liposuction and plastic surgery are not minor procedures. Some are life-threateningly major. But advertisements make them appear as easy as facials and waxing. The Indian medical council has strict rules against such misrepresentation. But nobody is interested in taking action.

9) Indirect kickbacks from doctors to prestigious hospitals.
To be on the panel of a prestigious hospital, there is give-and-take involved. The hospital expects the doctor to refer many patients for hospital admission. If he fails to send a certain number of patients, he is quietly dumped. And so he likes to admit patients even when there is no need.

10) “Emergency surgery” on dead body.
If a surgeon hurriedly wheels your patient from the Intensive Care Unit to the operation theatre, refuses to let you go inside and see him, and wants your signature on the consent form for “an emergency operation to save his life”, it is likely that your patient is already dead. The “emergency operation” is for inflating the bill; if you agree for it, the surgeon will come out 15 minutes later and report that your patient died on the operation table. And then, when you take delivery of the dead body, you will pay OT charges, anaesthesiologist’s charges, blah-blah-Doctors are humans too. You can’t trust them blindly. 

Please understand the difference.
 

Young surgeons and old ones.
The young ones who are setting up nursing home etc. have heavy loans to settle. To pay back the loan, they have to perform as many operations as possible. Also, to build a reputation, they have to perform a large number of operations and develop their skills. So, at first, every case seems fit for cutting. But with age, experience and prosperity, many surgeons lose their taste for cutting, and stop recommending operations.
 

Physicians and surgeons.
To a man with a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Surgeons like to solve medical problems by cutting, just as physicians first seek solutions with drugs. So, if you take your medical problem to a surgeon first, the chances are that you will unnecessarily end up on the operation table.

I respect doctors equally as the God. I consider there profession as God's Act. All these  details are furnished here in the public interest so as to spread awareness and to provide knowledge to the common people, and not at all to blame or disgrace all the doctors. 

Mahesh Bhatt

Hiking Can Improve Your Health in Many Ways

Especially autumn, while signaling the end of long summer days and steamy summer nights, brings with it its own beauty and wonder. The changing colors of the leaves and crisp, cool smell of autumn are just two reasons to throw on your favorite hoodie and head out onto the hiking trail, but did you know that there is bonafide research out there that shows how hiking can improve both physical and mental health?

It’s just common sense to consider how looking up from our phones, turning off the TV and shutting off our tablets allows us to connect with the world around us in a way unparalleled by what those bright screens can provide. Yet, researchers have found that unseasoned hikers who disconnected from technology and spent four days immersed in nature improved their performance on a creativity and problem-solving task by 50 percent. This is something that many right-brained, creative types likely already know, yet serves as a good reminder for left-brainers, such as myself, who may find themselves swept up in the minutiae of everyday details and struggle with seeing the bigger picture.

The health benefits of cardiovascular activity, in general, have long been documented, and hiking is no exception. What you may not know is that the outdoor activity can also improve recovery rates for cancer patients. In a study measuring oxidative stress in women with breast cancer and men with prostate cancer, it was found that those who engaged in long distance hiking trips had better antioxidative capacity in their blood over time, thought to aid in fighting off disease. Oxidative stress is thought to be an important factor in the onset, progression and recurrence of cancer. In order to investigate how it is influenced by physical activity, we measured oxidative stress and antioxidative capacity in 12 women with breast cancer and 6 men with prostate cancer, before and after long hiking trips.

Before the hike, the men had a ROS-concentration of 1.8±0.6 mM H2O2 and an aoC (antioxidative ) of 0.7±0.6 mM Trolox-equivalent (Tro), while the women had a ROS-concentration of 3.1±0.7 mM H2O2 and an aoC of 1.2±0.2 mM Tro. After the hike, women showed no significant change in ROS and a significant increase in aoC (1.3±0.2 mM Tro), while the ROS concentration in men increased significantly (2.1±0.3 mM H2O2) and their aoC decreased (0.25±0.1 mM Tro). After a regenerative phase, the ROS concentration of the men decreased to 1.7±0.4 mM H2O2 and their aoC recovered significantly (1.2±0.4 mM Tro), while the women presented no significant change in the concentration of H2O2 but showed an ulterior increase in antioxidant capacity (2.05±0.43 mM Tro).

From this data we conclude that physical training programs as for example long distance hiking trips can improve the aoC in the blood of Oncological patients. Being outdoors and exploring nature also feels wonderful—no scientific research is needed to confirm that fact. Yet, the implications of this phenomenon extend far beyond those feel-good breaths of fresh air. One study of a group of people who rated highly on hopelessness and depression scales and had attempted suicide at least once resulted in some pretty amazing outcomes. Mountain hiking, as an add-on therapy to other mental health care, showed dramatic improvements in depression and hopelessness. Just goes to show how Western approaches to mental health would do well to include more “alternative” therapies to improve individuals’ overall health.

If you are a novice hiker and interested in being more involved in the great outdoors, there’s no better time to start than right now. Especially with the milder weather and the beautiful scenery of the fall, now is the time to fully appreciate nature’s splendor. Many communities have parks and activities that may be underutilized. There may be fall hiking events, kids’ exploration activities and outdoor yoga in your area, to name a few possibilities. And, to make sure you are enjoying the outdoors with a small footprint, follow these Green Hiking Tips. Get out there and get hiking!

Green Hiking Tips

While most outdoor enthusiasts are familiar with the saying “Leave No Trace” and its “seven principles,” it might not be common knowledge for the recreational hiker. This concept highlights ways that hikers and adventurers can enjoy outdoor activities while causing as little adverse effects to the environment as possible. Here are some of the most important points from these principles and an examination of how they might affect the way we approach our relationships with the outdoors.

Stay on the trail

Our beaches are eroding at alarming rates. New Zealand alone has lost as much as 70 percent of its coastline in the last century. Some of this is of course due to natural environmental changes, but most of it stems from our interactions with the land.

Of course we want to get to the water as fast as possible, but leaving the clearly designated walkways are extremely hazardous. Domestic vegetation, such as marsh and dune grasses, help keep the sand from blowing away, and when we walk or run on it before it has taken root we prevent it from growing.

And this is not just a beach problem. Everything from hiking to off-trail mountain biking can have significant impacts on the natural world. A rule of thumb when you are visiting such fragile ecosystems is to always stay on designated paths. Coming equipped with the proper gear such as heavy-duty polarized sunglasses and flashlights will make sure you can see where you are stepping in all types of lighting conditions.

Curb, ahem, your waste

Remember, we all share the environment. Most of us know to reduce our waste and pick up any trash we leave behind, but have you thought about our natural waste? While some green publications might advise digging a small cat-hole for your fecal matter and other human wastes (four to ten inches deep and two hundred feet from any water supply, trail, or camping ground) there is no cleaner way to remove a dirty business than finding any one of the many environmentally friendly bags to remove your waste yourself.

Know the neighborhood

Now that we’ve covered waste, let’s talk about something else a bit dirty, Mating season. When heading out into nature, it’s important to recognize which animals you might encounter. Nature involves balance, and it is easy to throw off an animal’s natural cycles, especially during rutting seasons, when they tend to be skittish, aloof, shy, or easily angered. It’s best to leave an animal’s habitat alone during delicate seasons. Also, it’s always a good practice to avoid hydrating at the local water supply during dusk and dawn when most animals are more active.

At the campsite

There are plenty of places to tip up on “low impact camping,” but perhaps one of the more interesting is in regards to “solar cooking.” Many campers have found that they can successfully cook camp meals without the need of traditional camp stoves that use up precious natural resources. Instead, they utilize our most natural – and abundant – fuel source, the sun.

Mosquito repellents can be full of harsh chemicals, so it’s best to avoid behaviors that might attract them such as dark clothing, heat, moisture, and floral scents left behind from fabric softeners and laundry detergents. Cedar or cinnamon oil are good natural repellents.

Finally, remember that setting up a tent causes irreversible damage to the land, so it’s better to use a pre-established site while camping than trailblaze a new one for your sleeping quarters.

For many of us, a love of nature is in our blood, with a bit of forethought, that love can shine through in our actions as well.

Mahesh Bhatt

6 Ways to Become a Wiser Person

Intelligence is something that we can say some we are born with.

On the other hand, wisdom, far more useful, is definitely something one can accumulate over a lifetime. Many search for ways to become wise, but few feel they have really achieved it. The Berlin Wisdom Project of the late 80s defined wisdom as:

- Spiritual knowledge

- Factual knowledge

- Excellent judgment

- Excellent problem solving skills

- Ability to learn from past experience

- Humility, emotional strength or ability to recover from defeat

- Openness and maturity - allowing another to see you as you really are

- A deeper understanding of human nature, including empathy for others and other cultures

However, if you don't think you embody all these qualities, there are SIX other ways to become wiser in the human experience:

1. Being Social

Research has shown that people who keep more contact with other people display higher levels of wisdom than those who remain more secluded. Some think this may be due to new people constantly giving us new ideas to think about, new information, new experiences, and this enriches the mind and gives us more wisdom. So make an effort, if not for others than for yourself. Stay in touch with old friends, go take a course, and stay in contact with those around you, it's the wise thing to do.

2. Open mindedness

Wisdom is the ability to understand all aspects of a problem, without surrendering to personal feelings. The meaning of an open mind is to find true empathy and to understand that everyone has a life story that affects them in some way, and it is not our place to judge. A good habit is to write down, every day, what ails you. At the end of the day, take a look at that list and try to get a new perspective on each problem, you'll be surprised what things will come to mind.

3. "I could be mistaken"

A smart person understands that it is impossible to know everything, and that life always throws you a curve when you least expect it. Acknowledging our mistakes may, and often does, lead to greater wisdom. Remember, your ability to be wrong shouldn't damage your reputation as a wise man, but should increase it, because wise people know how to take responsibility for their mistakes. Nietzsche is quoted to have said: "Wisdom sets limits on knowledge, too.” Acknowledge the limits of your knowledge and admit when you are wrong.

4. Experiencing new things

While we each have our own personal tastes in books, music, art or just what is good cinema, it is important to note that getting familiar with styles unknown will broaden your horizons and introduce new world views, new ideas and new outlooks on life. So put down the novel you're reading and try a science fiction story, a history book or just a great romance. Whatever it is you almost never read, now is the time to add some real experience in things you haven't really touched on. So try something new, or learn a new skill - it won't just make you wiser, it'll also keep you young!

5. Self awareness

Many will say they have rich life experience, but when was the last time you really stopped to think of all you've learned throughout life?

Try this exercise: Write down your three biggest failures and your three biggest successes. Next to each of them write some of the events that lead to it and the lessons you learned. Look for patterns, without pride or regret, simple patterns to teach you about how you used each experience to drive you forward. After all, knowing yourself is the biggest challenge of all.

6. Know what goes on around you

Yes, the news is often dramatic, misrepresented or just depressing. But it's hard to make balanced decisions for yourself and others if you don't learn from the mistakes that happen to others and to on larger scales, to your city, country and world. Keep updated, read a newspaper, watch the news or just read a news site online from time to time. Read the articles, not just headlines, and understand how you fit into this bigger world, and where you stand.

This is crucial for true wisdom.

Mahesh Bhatt