MMC asks medicos to desist from 'cut' practice

Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) has decided to come down heavily upon cut practice by doctors. It is seriously thinking of taking punitive measures. Giving ‘cuts’ and accepting ‘cuts’ is a punishable offence and this practice has increased the cost of medical treatment and the burden is passed on to hapless patients and their relatives.
Even the Medical Council of India (MCI) had issued strict guidelines to all medicos asking  them to desist from accepting costly gifts, foreign tours and avoid quid-pro-quo with pharmaceutical companies. This is the only way to strengthen healthy doctor-patient relationship. Aberration by a handful of practitioners had shaken the faith of common man and due to such black-sheep, a negative image about doctors had caught popular imagination. This unhealthy and unethical practice of taking ‘cuts’ is in gross violation of the Code of Ethics and Etiquettes 2002 floated by MCI.
Dr Kishor Taori, Chairman, MMC pointed out that MMC had already booked few cases against the doctors who had been giving and taking ‘cuts’ for soliciting the patients. We want to protect fair image of medical practitioner which is under fire due to unethical behaviour of only rotten eggs, he said. A majority of the doctors are excellent professionals and doing their practice upholding highest standards of ethics. However they also suffer due to loss of image of whole doctor community, added Dr Taori.
MMC has requested to all associations of doctors belonging to different specialties to sensitize their members about this menace of ‘cut practice’. The eroding faith by the society in doctors only can be regained through pro-active self governance, feels MMC chairman.
However, the enforcement and regulatory machinery is quite weak and going by the track-record of MCI or its state-level bodies like MMC, these bodies need to step-up their vigilance, disciplinary mechanism and expedite decision making process to give credence to their pious sounding desires. According to many legal experts, MMC had made similar announcements many a times, but it had very little impact. Spurt in litigations against doctors and brandishing them as bad guys in social media and TV serials are some of the clear indications of deteriorating image of medical practitioners, they pointed out.
As on date, if any person is found guilty of unethical practice, the associations of doctors are supposed to take action against the culprit and even cancel membership. Upon due reporting from the association, MMC would also take a stern action against the erring doctors and hospitals.
Dr Taori said, “Doctors working in the hospital should ensure that unethical practices are not carried out in that hospital. It will certainly carry a vicarious responsibility on the doctor working in the hospitals carrying out unethical practices. Anybody who knows the name, place of the doctor or their agents offering ‘cuts’ or taking ‘cuts’ will be severely dealt by MMC. We are duty bound and firm in our commitment to cleanse the system of ‘cut’ practices by the doctors and hospitals  as well, he promised.

MMC takes pro-active steps

- Interns – provisional registration has to be taken before the internship commences. Many of the time this is delayed and the young doctors are put to problems for getting internship completion. MMC has initiated on-line provisional registration for all interns.
- On-line facility is available for Good Standing Certificate, of MMC and MCI, No Objection Certificate, Confirmation Certificate etc.
- MMC is giving ID Card to each and every Registered Medical  Practitioner.

-From CME fund several welfare measures will be undertaken for the doctors.

MCI-guided prescription soon

MMC has decided to come out with its own format for prescription based on the recommendation of Medical Council of India (MCI). MMC plans to have simpler, feasible and practical methods of prescription, which will  ultimately stall the quackery.
This MCI-guided prescription format will be uniformly applicable to the country. This was agreed upon by all the Presidents of State Medical Councils.

MMC approves 3000 doctors as faculties

In Maharashtra, there is an enthusiastic response to conduct the Continuing Medical Education (CMEs). CMEs have been promoted by MMC as it enhances and update the knowledge of the doctors, thereby giving the justice to their patients. Nearly 100 CMEs conducted per month throughout Maharashtra. More than 300 institutes have been accredited. There are 3,000 speakers, who have approved by MMC as faculty.

Doc no promotion please!

As per the Ethical Guidelines, no doctor can give advertisement of  any type to enhance the business or solicits the patients. It has been decided to have ‘level playing’ for all the doctors. MMC will come up with new guidelines with clarifications in ethical issues including Advertisements.

Doctors doing unethical practice can lose membership

MMC has appealed various professional organisations to enlighten their members regarding the ethical and clean medical practices and cancel the membership of the doctors, who are resorting to unethical practices and bringing down the image of doctors in general. Only such type of self governance will give justice to the medical profession and their patients, which will certainly strengthen the doctor-patient bond.