Dr. Relativeskar is an unqualified self-certified doctor.  Relativeskar is a surname of the world’s  largest family of self-certified doctors – more specifically in India. They are always relatives of a patient. They feel that they know much more than a qualified doctor. When something goes awry, they bash up qualified doctors & damage hospitals.

These days’ patients’ relatives never seem to agree with a doctors findings. The fabric of trust between a patient, his relatives and the doctor fraternity is completely damaged. People always feel that they are being fleeced with unnecessary procedures.

Who is responsible for this - Society or Doctor fraternity?  The society also, wants immediate remedies & not good but slow & steady remedies. Hence the modern medial stream is preferred over Ayurveda & Homeopathy – the Indian medical streams that have little side effects, are cost effective and less capital intensive.

The 7 year gestation period to do a masters in medicine, around 50 lakh capitation fees, costly investments in hospital buildings and equipment’s etc.. Need to be recovered. This turns the profession into a business – thanks to societal pressures. The pharma companies spend a good amount on doctors as promotional gifts( TV, tabs, fridges, holiday trips (read as conferences) with family etc..). To dole this out, they keep a tab of which doctor prescribes their medicines etc.. This results in some medicines being unnecessarily prescribed.

All business is for profit. Hence there is nothing harm in making some money with so heavy investments. After all,  these have been forced upon the medical fraternity by Dr.Relativeskar’s.

All these days, I kept blaming all Dr.Relativeskar’s for not having faith in their doctor, for being over reactive & for confusing the hapless patient. That changed recently.

My younger son, Jai (jr) was injured while playing on a Sunday. There was pain and slight swelling in his left wrist. The paramedic at first aid center: put a sling & suggested to have a X-ray. The X-ray radiologist observed:  No it does not look like a fracture. But take a doctors opinion. Emergency ward of a medical university cum hospital   manned by three young trainee doctors commented : It is a blood thrombo/trauma case that would require a three week plaster cast. Geetha was not convinced.

Her Siddha doctor: No, its not a fracture. Her  Homeopathy doctor : No, It’s  not a fracture. Both were close family friends & knew Geetha & Karthi much better than me  -I am often on tours -feeling secure that they are there close by in case of need.

On Monday evening, Geetha wanted to have an ortho’s opinion. We met the doctor at 8 PM. He was part of a multi disciplinary & multi bedded hospital.

His diagnosis: It is not a fracture – but a  dislocation. A minor surgery was required to insert a wire to tie the bones together  and supported by an external plaster cast for 3 weeks. Later the wire would be removed by another surgery. A quick joint check of medical insurance availability etc was made. Though it was a 30 minute operation, with 6 hours of observation required, it was agreed to have a one day hospitalization to claim insurance. The operation that would be costing 30K was slated for next day morning.

Geetha got scared at the mention of the word operation. It’s so for all Indians. Operation meant opening up the body & could lead to various complications later. It’s like your watch. Once it goes to the repair shop, you can guarantee many more regular visits there.

I was furious at Geetha for taking too many opinions and getting confused, leaving me useless. She was unfazed. Geetha spoke to her neighbor at 10 PM,   who strongly recommended to have one more opinion the next day from a different Ortho,  Dr.Pai. The reco was accompanied by a few stories. Dr. Pai  was an aged man who ran his own ortho-clinic out of a rented 2 storied residential building.

The doctor told that there was no dislocation but it is a form of light fracture that did not require even a plaster cast. He suggested a sling with crepe bandage, few exercise and medication. He was appalled at the surgery and the other treatment that the other doc had suggested.

Geetha finally felt convinced. Three days since then, my son was as normal. This incident was a wakening call for me.

It left me confused: Whom to believe and whom not. How many opinions are required to take a simple and correct call. Why was the unnecessary operation insisted upon? The expense was not a concern; but the complications that could arise was.

It was a conformation that  Dr.Relativeskar’s cannot always be wrong. It isn’t wrong to have 10 opinions from different doctors, given the high commercialization of the profession. You cannot, outright depend on one doctors diagnosis these days.

Dear Jai (sr.), there is no objection from me if you happen to fall in love with a medic/ or a girl with medics in her family. Only then can I avoid being taken for a ride by medics. For prospective brides from other fields: Sorry – a soon to be eligible groom may not be your Mr. Right.

Rushing to register in Bharath Matrimony with my special request.