MADHU AGRAWAL
It refers to written reply in Rajya Sabha on February 7, 2017 wherein central government quoting Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations 2002 clarified that physicians should display and announce professional fees before treatment.
Also it should be made mandatory for new-age medical practitioners to issue prescriptions direct from the computer after storing medical history of patients in their computers. Many medical practitioners especially in lower-income localities give their own-prepared medicinal syrups and powder-capsules without letting patients know about the medicines being administered to them.
In the emergency-era of 1975-1977, such unhealthy practice was effectively checked by making all medical practitioners to compulsorily maintain record of each patient visiting them and also binding every medical practitioner to compulsorily give a copy of prescription of administered or prescribed medicines even though given by the medical practitioner. Such medical discipline should be restored in larger public interest. However old-aged practitioners not aware of computer-technology may be exempted from compulsory issue of computerised medical-prescriptions. System will enable practitioners sending medical-alerts like about banned medicines through e-mail to their regular patients.
It should be made mandatory for all pathological laboratories throughout the country to assign a customer number to everyone going for medical tests there. Personal data-record including contact-details and all other available information, if any, like blood-group, medical-insurance, treating physician or surgeon etc of customers should also then be registered in data-base of customers in computers. System will enable pathological laboratories to maintain past medical history of patients on computers. Such a system will rather add to regular clientele of pathological laboratories, which can offer membership-discounts for their regular customers.
