Health Information Guide- HELP: Dr.S.V.Nadkarni

Friday, May 20, 2011

The Patient Community@HELP - 14th May 2011

The following videos are a recording of the first meeting of The Patient Community@HELP held on 14th May, 2011.
The meeting was attended by 7 members who could make it to HELP on that day. Many members who had wanted to join in were away for their summer break.'
Some of the enthusiastics who attended were Ami Dixit, Joseph Martins, Deepak Bhat, christopher and Aminali Panjwani.There are different reasons for them to join the community ranging from having many family members suffering from ailments,
growing health conscious, interest in the healthcare and healthcare system of our country, feelings that a patient definitely needs to have greater involvement in his/her medical care. One of our members feels that medical costs are too
high and are ever increasing and that by joining the community and sharing and learning ways to look after oneself patients may be able to reduce their medical costs.

Dr.S.V.Nadkarni spoke on the current health care scenario in India.Some of the topics covered by him were:
1. Declining role of the family physician
2. 80% of the health care is in the hands on non-qualified so called 'doctors'.
3. Fresh MBBS pass-outs ought to have a 2-3 years' training before they actually set up practice.
4. Lack of transparency on medical costs has resulted in lack of faith in the physician's treatment plan.
5. Quality medical care is something that patients need to look for.
6. Patients need to ensure and find out 'what will be my cost of treatment ?' right from the start.
7. There is a need to increase consumer resistance - taking a second opinion should be considered.
8. Patients need to understand that there is no need to panic as diseases are now diagnosed fairly early; they need to ask questions - business like questions; find out the cost of their treatment; get a medical insurance at an early age.
9. Hospitals must have a 'price-list' for various treatments - the medical council is saying this; the government is saying - It is the patients who must say this !
One advise - If your doctor gets angry with you, change him !

Ms.Kunjal Shah gave us a presentation on how pyscho therapy helps people to tackle various mental challenges which we confront in our day-to-day lives; how guidance and counseling and long-term insight therapies help patients to overcome
problems which an individual may find difficult to handle himself. Some of the tips she gave included taking time to contemplate; indulge in relaxing activities; slowdown and take a hold of your problem.

It is the goal of Health education Library for People to educate people to take better care of themselves. We pulled out a a chapter from Dr.Malpani's book "How to get better medical care" and gave a presentation on "Preventing Medication Errors"
which was appreciated by all community members.

We now wish to grow this community in order to share more view points. Those interested in sharing their views please send us an email to helplibrary@gmail.com.

Google is where it is by just word of mouth - Please spread the word and help the community to GROW.