Private hospitals in Karnataka will shut their outpatient departments on Friday to protest against the state government's move to implement the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (Amendment) Bill 2017. Around 50,000 doctors in the state will abstain from duties as a token of protest against the KPME Bill, which is scheduled to be tabled in the assembly next week.
The bill is considered to be part of the government's move to tighten its grip over private hospitals. It allows the government to fix the rates for different types of treatments and services including consultation, investigations, surgery, implants, ventilation and intensive care. Private hospitals and clinics which charge more than what is fixed by the state government, could be liable to a penalty of not less than Rs 25, 000 which could be extended to Rs 5 lakh and imprisonment for not less than six months which may extended for up to three years.
Private hospitals in the states have termed the bill as ''draconian'. Dr Devi Shetty, chairman, Narayana Health, Bengaluru exhorted private hospitals in the state to close their OPDs on Friday as a mark of protest. “Let the government and the people know that we are very sad and upset. We expect them to help us,” he said.
“Today whenever there is a malpractice litigation, we are investigated by the Consumer Court, State Medical Council, Indian Medical Council, Civil Court, Criminal Court and many other agencies. Our government in the state of Karnataka wants to come up with one more body to investigate any cases of malpractice litigation against us. That is not the tragedy. The tragedy is for the first time in the history of the country, we are not able to represent ourselves by a lawyer. Even terrorist Kasab was allowed to be represented by a lawyer by the government,” he added.
However, there are people out there who think the bill is a much-needed one. Rishabh Mehta (name changed) who works with IDFC bank in Bengaluru is all for it. Mehta had back pain since last week and he went to a reputed private hospital in Bengaluru for a checkup. He was prescribed an x-ray. The doctor had a thorough look at his reports and told him that his back pain was caused by a congenital anomaly. He was asked to get a Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI) scan done. It would cost him Rs 13,000.
Mehta then went to a hospital close to his office on Residency road for a second opinion. While waiting for his turn in the OP, he figured out the hospital charges just Rs 6,500 for the MRI. By the time he met the doctor, he was mentally prepared to get the scan done. The doctor examined him, went through his reports and told him that he didn't have any anomalies as mentioned in the X-ray report. He didn't need the scan at all. All that the doctor prescribed him was some exercise.
Mehta got a third opinion from another doctor. He just asked him to stay active and move around more often.
