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Posted on 10-12-2006 21:39 by Bevin

Most corporate hospitals usually market their consultants imaging and lab facilities.

A consultant marketted for is specialization in say chest medicine, endocrinology or something as exotic as midgut surgeon or vertigo specialist... will have expectations from the hospital for admissions, referrals and procedures.

An ED physician in a corporate hospital conducting a life saving procedure or discharge a dizzy patient without an elaborate referral will have to face the wrath of the consultant and a representative of the administration.The fact that this does not happen in a med school or in a govt hospital is evidence that these clashes occur cuz money promised is not delivered.

At the risk of sounding like a madman shouting at the rain, i believe its the system, rather the mindset that needs to change.

tell the management this...
market the hospital as a whole with all possible specialities and the asurance that a patient sent here, whatever be the emergency, will be triaged, treated, disposed or admitted under the appropriate speciality.

Know that the best specialist in an emergency arising due to any known or unknown human illness is the Emergency Physician. He/she is trained in performing all procedures within the scope of the speciality of emergency medicine and is always present in the ED, not requiring to be called from blissful slumber to perform a procedure.
This way you can boast of a hospital with all specialities and a competent department that will deliver the patient to the appropriate speciality alive or keep alive till the speciality gets there.

A dead patient in the right speciality is not of use to anyone

Consultants will have to adapt. They should be told that a procedure maybe done in an emergecy in the ED by the ED physician either to preserve life or ensure comfort and that they will be called on for his specialist opinion and any further procedures. this will reduce expectations.

A well trained ED physician is a value added service any corporate hospital can provide to its patients. A department dedicated to the cause of saving lives and to deliver care quickly will make a difference in patient comfort and hence ensures superior patient satisfaction.

About a patient wanting treatment in a corporate hospital... should he be uncomfortable or die while waiting for a specialist. If he can afford the treatment , he probably can afford a lawyer too.

Dr. Bevin D'Silva
Dept. of Emergency Medicine, Apollo Health City
Hyderabad