Symposium on deteriorating doc-patient relationship held

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 1

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) held a symposium on the occasion of National Doctors’ Day on “How to improve doctor-patient relationship” at IMA Complex, Sector 35, Chandigarh. The Tribune was the media partner for the event.

On the occasion, Bejon Misra, an international expert on consumer advocacy, announced to start a patient counselling centre where patients can come with any issues related to healthcare services, including grievances against doctors and hospitals, in Chandigarh.

“This will be the first time in the country that a patient support group in association with the leading doctors’ organisation will start this type of service,” Misra told the gathering of public and doctors.

Dr Neeraj Kumar, President, IMA, said, “The lack of trust in doctor-patient relationship is increasing the laws and regulations being imposed on the medical sector, which is forcing the doctors to practise defensive medicine. They do not want to take any risks for patients and want to protect themselves from any litigation, police action or violence.”

Justice Mahesh Grover, who was the chief guest, stressed the importance of empathy and compassion. “A word of care and sympathy by a doctor to his sick patient can really restore his faith and confidence,” he told the audience.

Roopinder Singh, Associate Editor, The Tribune, said the deteriorating doctor-patient relationship was a manifestation of the system-wide malaise of decreasing respect for institutions, decrease in value system and increasing violence and materialism.

Dr G Dewan, Director Health Services, emphasised that people could buy cost-effective medicines from government-run Amrit and Jan Aushadhi stores. He said he had not received any complaint of negligence against any hospital in the past six months since he took over.

Kamaljit Singh Panchhi, president of the Chandigarh Traders’ Association, Sector 17, asked the doctors to take a pledge to not take any commission for recommending any particular brand of medicine.