Visiting Super specialist Directly

The Late U Turn

It is known fact that patient is today’s era patients have become impatient.

It is commonly seen that even for minor aliment they rush to specialist and even to super specialist.

Normally what is followed world vide and ideal as we already know and must for country like India, first contact point should be primary care physician and then as per need patient can be referred.  This has to be followed except certain emergency conditions where direct approach is justified.

The problem on the part of patients is, expecting a miracle overnight cure and basic human mentality of getting superior services and treatment by spending more, unlike other sectors of life. Time is money as they perceive, wanted to get cured fast, no break from work, no sick days are accepted.

The result: More money spent, more investigations and less satisfaction, bad mouth to hospitals because nobody in this world can promise a miracle cure, specialist are not an exception. Even after giving their best, patients are not satisfied as expectations are sky high.

So the clock has starting ticking in reverse direction. They are vising family physician after visiting specialist! You will find patients waiting in clinic with 2 or 3 files from various hospitals. Now they wanted to know what is happening and in spite of spending good amount of money and why they are still not getting a solution. And pity is after taking almost thrice the time of routine consultation, they are not willing to pay even regular consultation charges.

I think our system needs to change. Patients’ needs to be explained time and again the importance of “patience” and avoid direct visits unless emergency. Insurance companies should ask for referral letter before routine hospital admission or consultations.

Corporate hospitals should have family physician department, superspeciality groups should have primary care physician or should have close liaison with family physicians and if possible patients should be told first consult their family physician before visiting them for minor or not so important aliment again. This makes the concentrate on needy patients, who genuinely needs specialist care.

Thanks, your suggestions are welcome.