Corporate hospitals often treat patients as mere customers, aiming to maximize revenue through fear and scare tactics. These tactics entice individuals to undergo unnecessary tests, and once the patient enters the hospital, they are subjected to a plethora of superfluous treatments. One doctor may refer the patient to another specialist within the same hospital, which benefits the establishment’s revenue but frequently results in over-testing and over-treatment.
This misuse of resources not only wastes money but also deprives patients of proper medical care. Regrettably, many patients become overwhelmed by the hospital setting and fail to recognize the subpar quality of care they receive. Large hospitals possess an advantage over small nursing homes or practices, which tend to be more frugal and cost-effective due to their personal relationship with patients.
These sizable institutions generate foot traffic through advertising, considering it a component of customer acquisition. They allocate substantial funds for advertisements, whether through video, print, or social media. Consequently, patients are lured into their facilities.
However, these large hospitals often provide more expensive and impersonal care – characteristics that negatively impact patients. The corporatization and commercialization of medical care risk leading us down the same path as the US healthcare system – an undesirable outcome for both patients and compassionate doctors.
Corporate hospital managers prioritize their bottom line and understand that advertising is key to increasing profits. Consequently, they treat both patients and doctors as mere widgets – tools for generating revenue. Doctors who fail to meet revenue expectations risk losing their jobs, which ultimately strips them of the autonomy they once enjoyed in patient care.
Doctors are healthcare professionals, and our aim is to employ the most effective methods to deliver top-notch medical care for our patients. Advertising messes this up because it leads to over-testing and over-treatment
My concern is that currently the national medical council solely regulates doctors and lacks authority over corporate entities such as hospitals. Thus, I question the effectiveness of this approach in reality until it becomes a directive passed by the Supreme Court. Such a change could make a significant difference, allowing patients to use their common sense to determine the appropriate treatment rather than feeling overwhelmed and frightened by the imposing environment of a large corporate hospital.