Private hospitals make killing on MRI scan

KOZHIKODE: There are innumerable ways in which private hospitals and diagnostic centres squeeze the patients and mint money.  Recently,  Balan (name changed), a patient from Mahe went to a prominent private hospital in Kozhikode city for MRI brain scan on the advice of a doctor.

The fee demanded was  Rs  10,750. Since he didn't have that much money, Balan called his  friend who asked the rate from another hospital. It  was  Rs  6,500. 

He called two more centres, one of which charged  Rs  5,000 and the other Rs  4,000. Balan did the scanning for Rs  4,000, which is Rs  6,750 less than what the first hospital demanded.

In fact, the MRI brain scan costs only Rs  2,000 according to a government order which fixed the rates.   But  private  hospitals and scan centres are fleecing the patients.

In the government sector, the rates are low. According to a government order issued in 2011, all the government medical colleges should abide by the order on scanning.

"Any CT/MRI scan tests referred to by the medical colleges will be done only at this rate and the rates should be displayed at  prominent places of the hospitals," the order says.

Kozhikode District Medical Officer Dr K. Narayana Naik told DC  that though the regulatory powers of health department over private hospitals were meagre, if any complaints were received, the health department would  conduct  an inquiry and take necessary action.

"Though the rates may vary in the private sector, charging high rates without any justification is unethical and needs to be curbed," he added.

"If the government does not control these institutions, where else should the  people go," said  Madhu Soodan, an employee at IIM Kozhikode, who encountered a similar situation recently.