.. For patients, ignorance about their medical rights often turns out to be more
pernicious than the disease itself.

.. activists say awareness among relatives will make doctors more
responsible. They encourage relatives to routinely question treatment
modalities, seek second opinions and save medical documents. Unfortunately, most
are so emotionally drained with the burden of
illness that they don't probe about costs or methods and trust the medical
fraternity.

..It's time for empowerment, say experts, as participation and a dose of
information could save their life.

.. Empowerment, however, should start from doctors being informed about
patients' rights, suggests physician Arun Bal of the Association for Consumer
Action on Safety and Health (ACASH).

.. From corruption in medical education, alleged links between doctors and
pharmacists to a dismal redressal mechanism, our medical system needs an
uplifting shot, say activists. "Medicine used to be a service-run profession,
now it runs on money and success,'' says patients' rights advocate physician
Manohar Kher. The medical system, he adds, needs overhauling and merit should be
the only criterion for admission to medical colleges and students being taught
ethics.

.. inflated hospital bills. "Patients are billed for a strip of medicines but
one pill is used. The unused medicines are not returned to the consumer,''
points out Parekh.

"..Patients should check doctors' credentials,'' Indian Medical Association
president Prakash Kawli says.

Publication:Times Of India Mumbai; Date:Feb 15, 2006; Section:Times City;
Page Number:2

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