Dear Jerry, Having visited the 'offices' of some of the doctors in Goa, I agree with your description of 'facilities'. Despite the allegedly high costs charged for Doctors' consultation, I really cannot classify these as "Over Charging" until I know what 'usual and customary charges' are for Goa. These depend on CPT codes as well as the locale of the practice eg. Velim v Panjim.
BTW: depending upon what is required to be done at the review visit, the CPT codes ( and hence the charges) could be different at the review. Remember ....what you are also paying for is the TIME. I will not comment on the 50 Rs consult in Mumbai. Need more details including the name of the doctor......what he did, how long he spent with you etc. Allow me to place a few thoughts on the way forward for Goans and Goa: 1: Lobby the Dept of Public Health, the Medical Association and the Medical Council in Goa to ensure that ALL health facilities are inspected, certified and licensed annually. 2: Lobby the same entities to enforce the 'disabled access' for ALL medical facilities within (say) a period of 1 year. I have seen elderly patients walk up several flights of some really decrepit stairs to reach the offices of their doctor. 3: If the 'Check if the medicine works' review visit is a near-routine, something is off. However, unless one has detailed history (without names) one cannot comment. 4: Insist that your doctor has sufficient Medical Malpractice coverage. This is for the Medical Council to insist at the Annual re-Registration.....but for Goans to lobby for. 5: Diligently follow-up cases where Negligence is suspected, understanding that NOT all alleged Negligence is Medical Negligence and that one's legal advice in Negligence matters in Goa may or may not be Optimum. 6: Practice Preventive Self-Care ie Do NOT Smoke, IF one wishes to drink alcohol, do so in extreme moderation, If one is non-veg, limit the amount of meat consumed, Avoid eating food at unhygienic eat houses and way-side stalls and Avoid stress.....for a start 7: Yes....all of us will need Medical attention at some point and time BUT Far Too Many Goans are visiting doctors, only NOT to be compliant with advice, and Far Too Many Goans are on all kinds of unprescribed medicines. jc Medicine, Law & Medical Law. > On Dec 27, 2014, at 12:22 PM, Jerry Fernandes <jerryn...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Thank you (...) Jose, for your valuable time in responding to my querry. > > Yes, you have written various points and all as per your practice which does > not happen otherwise. does it? > > All I know is that Drs do prescribe medicine for a patient, which for some > reason or the other may not work on the patient. It could be a rare case, It > could be a general case, no idea. Does that mean the patient has to go again > to the doctor as a fresh patient? > > If you see the offices of some doctors here in Goa, its nothing but a plain > room with lots of papers and a bed of course medicine which could be free > samples from the pharmaceuticals. So what other over heads do they have that > they charge the original fee for a follow up visit patient? > > As I had said earlier, indeed i was surprised that the doctors I visited in > Mumbai, Mira Road charged me fees which would have been three time or four in > Goa. > > As for shunning rogues, here in Goa the doctors are only known through other > patients. There is no such directory to find out doctors in Goa. :), or > people like to visit their own known doctor, who may charge exhorbidently, > but at least a known doctor. > > Wish we had more doctors like you ie what I understand from your views posted > below. > > Thank you and Pray, you have a wonderful and blessed Christmas. > > God Bless > > Jerry > > > >> Subject: Re: [Goanet] Subject: OVERCHARGING PATIENTS >> Message-ID: <917240b0-e1bc-4712-969f-913bfc8cd...@gmail.com> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii >> >> On Dec 23, 2014, at 10:26 AM, Jerry Fernandes <jerryn...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> "(...). Interesting story. Thanks for sharing it. >> >> Can you tell please if follow up visits have to be charged or they should >> be free? One needs to know how the medicines prescribed are working if the >> case is serious, for minor cold no one will go again, but some treatments >> could be serious and the very first visit one pays 200 or 300 depending on >> the doctor. >> >> And these visits are without any receipts. >> >> RESPONSE: >> >> Dear Jerry, >> >> A few points : >> >> 1: As far as I am concerned, there is NO such thing as a free visit to a >> professional at his office. There, also, is NO such thing as a visit to >> check IF "the medicine is working" ! >> >> 2: In my own little practice, every evening I have a telephone >> conversation with that day's clients or the parents of minor patients. I >> will do this is some cases for the first few days. The clients are also >> free to call me anytime they believe they have to. Mercifully, most do not >> call after 11pm. That, I suggest, is one way to 'check if the treatment is >> working' and to keep your clientele. >> >> 3: Besides, after a clinical visit, each patient walks out with two slips >> of paper (1) a prescription (2) an English translation of what is on the >> prescription. This is after the prescription has been discussed in detail >> and all questions are answered. I believe that a patient will comply with >> the doctor's recommendations/prescription ONLY if care is taken to convince >> him WHY he should do so. >> >> 4: All this takes quite a bit of professional time, and the clients pay >> for it. Those who are looking for the "Rs 50" doctors will do well by >> going to the the Public facilities. For, while I do sometimes write-off >> charges for the odd regular client who may have fallen on hard times, IF >> someone does not understand what it takes to be a Medical Professional, and >> talks about Rs 50 or thereabouts, I am not your person to consult. BTW: All >> our charges are standardized and based on CPT (procedure) codes and RVUs ( >> Relative Value Units). >> >> 5: In certain cases, clinical reviews are warranted. Reviews must be >> justified to be charged for. When they are justified, only 'uninformed' >> (for want of a better word) individuals will expect them to be free. Almost >> invariably, it is the client who decides IF he wishes a review. He pays >> for the physician's time. >> >> 6: BTW: IF I ever start the 'check if the medicine is working' or 'no >> receipts for monies paid' bit, I'd soon find myself as a client-less >> wonder. The clientele I have is quite discerning. May be, our Goan >> people need to think similarly and SHUN rogues. >> >> Jerry, I wonder IF I made sense to you. Please advise if you disagree and >> why. You write well and ask reasonable questions. I am very happy to >> e-converse with you ....even though I am presently on a break for Christmas >> etc in nearly 'White Christmas' territory. >> >> Good wishes >> >> jc >> >> >> >> >>
