An Indian doctor in the US is accused of being Dr. Greed who “violated the basic norms of medical care by authorizing re-use of syringes, fast-forwarding procedures, and running an assembly-line operation -- all with an intent to make more money” by local media. As is expected, there is an outburst of considerable outrage from all corners of the society; specifically from the community of foreign physicians “who have worked and fought long and hard to establish a good reputation”. Let’s not get into the details of how valid these accusations are and whether they were thoroughly investigated yet or not.
A very disturbing line of thought in this article was that he was a “reckless physician who cut corners to increase profits although he was already a multi-millionaire”. My first thoughts on reading this were, how can we be so hypocritical? Why are we bent upon calling the medical profession the noblest? Why can we simply not accept the fact that just like some of us have it in us to become graphic designers or artists, others have it in them to become doctors or surgeons? Simply because at one point or the other in your life, you might be vesting your life in one of their hands doesn’t mean that they have to be put on a pedestal with lofty ideals. What is wrong if doctors make money while practicing their profession? Is it wrong that some of the biggest MNCs in the world are the giant pharmaceutical companies? Is it wrong for an IIM graduate to get an unbelievable sum as his starting package? Or that despite his billions, Mr.Mittal is still bent on making more money? If this is not wrong, I don’t see why a doctor should not aspire to make money despite being a millionaire. It is another thing how he chooses to make it.
If these allegations are right (and I am guessing that they are) then "Dr.Greed" has indeed committed a crime. But please can we not have yet another hackneyed sensational article that judges on the basis of whether it is right or wrong for a doctor to have profits in mind? Let’s try to look at the matter only from the perspective of what was right or wrong on professional terms in this case. And all others.
4 comments:
Hi,
Hmmm... No body will say that you should not earn money being a doctor. But the problem here is,though I never read about the above mentioend article, can you imagine the side effects of the reusing the syringe.
Where as you dont have the same side effects if somebody reuses your graphical design, at the max company might loose some money.
Comming to treating the docs as gods, we are in a world where gods/temples have become cash-cows. So no point in talking about Doctor earning money.. in fact as long as he/she earning it in proper way no body blames it, be it god/baba/doctor.
FYI Jupalli, syringes are reused to this day in some parts of the world for sheer lack of funds. Are we outraged at this? Not when we hear this happens in remote parts of Africa/India. But a journalist sensationalises this news as the population that is at risk here is American.
While I dont advocate reusing syringes, I cannot for the life of me deal with the hypocrisy of the argument. That, as you might have noticed in my blog, remains my rant.
Hi Vishwapriya,
In my previous mail, If I sounded harsh in my wording I'm sorry. I can understand the way you feel, as I read the news today in Rediff. Equally funny was the commnets made by fellow doctors and reserch fellows in India.. here is how it goes.. 'My self a 'reserch student working under an India doctor', I know how disgustingly we treat the fellow Indians. (So the population is at risk in not American .. might be Indian)
Yes I do know that in India we do reuse syringes, but thats a sad part where AIDS is major problem.
everyone agrees, a profession by all the means to pay well. but there is a sense of morality, one has to justify to himself about what he is taking and what he is giving.
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