This feature compares the healthcare systems in the US with the system in India. Read a first hand account by Manisha who is an MBBS from India and MD from New York
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Author: Manisha M
First and foremost, a word about myself, and how I can give a little insight into the two healthcare systems. I am an internist, read general physiscian in India, with a M.B.B.S. from India and a M.D. Medicine from New York University. I practised medicine in a multispeciality group in California for about four years, and just moved back to Bangalore, with the intent of hopefully staying. Medicine is my passion, so I will speak through my eyes mostly.
I trained at a Government hospital in Patiala, Punjab, got to see and experience life and medicine in the earnest. When I left India 10 years ago, there was no medical tourism here. Healthcare was divided into goverment, and private sector. And where the government sector was noticeably ill-equipped, the private sector was notoriously corrupt. I saw burn patients die of widespread infections, the pediatric unit devoid of anti tetanus toxoid, the Casualty not willing to treat a suicidal attempt of poisoning, because of the medicolegal aspect..And saw the tie up of the doctors/ nursing homes with the laboratories and imaging units for financial gains. The doctors that I worked with were spectacular, but limited by resources, or blinded with greed. Patients treat(ed)doctors as Gods in India.
In the US, the scene is different. Doctors are by far the same, if anything, with lesser clinical skills, because of the dependence on diagnostic tests. The government or the public sector there has the best resources available at no cost to the underpriviliged. During my residency, I treated homeless people, and alcoholics, who would pass out on the street, with resouces befitting a celebrity. In the US, if a patient shows up at the Emergency Department, with any life threatening ailment, CARE is provided first, and questions asked later. You can see respect for life. Call 9-1-1 and the paramedics, ambulance is at your doorstep within 5 minutes, trying to resuscitate you, help you. If it is a true emergency, you would be at the hospital as soon as possible. While the ambulance is rushing you with the lights, sirens on, the entire traffic, busy as it may be, pulls to the right, allowing it to pass. While in India, my sister was recently visiting, had a feeling of heart palpitations, went to the ER at a reputed hospital in Mumbai, but there was no ECG or care until she got a hold of her contacts who knew the HOD, and that was 12 hours later, when her symptoms had already subsided. And while that may be true for most hospitals, just wanted to mention our very good experience with AIIMS, where we were treated with utmost expertise and care. Having said that, general medicine/outpatient is somewhat similar in both the countries. Patients are much more aware, and sometimes too demanding.
In the US, there is much more documentation, record keeping, cleanliness, less antibiotic prescriptions perhaps. The legal implications are enormous if you are not meticulous with records. In the wake, it does improve healthcare. Medicine is much more expensive, but most people have insurance which brings down the costs tremendously. In the US, you donot want to be caught un-insured, except if you are a US citizen, and have no income, in which case you would be able to get aspirin free of cost!! Doctors are reimbursed very well in the US, compared to our motherland.
Now with the scene a little different in terms of reimbursement, I am sure things have changed. Indian economy is changing, and healthcare is following. I was reading about Sri Sai Baba charitable institute of Medical Sciences in Bangalore, and have nothing but awe and respect for the venture. India produces great doctors, about 20% of US doctors are Indian. The future of medicine in our country looks promising…
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