Docs should announce fee before treatment, not after: Govt

NEW DELHI:  A physician should display and announce his fees before rendering service and not after the treatment as per regulations, the government today said.

“As per the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002, a physician should clearly display his fees and other charges on the board of his chamber and/or the hospitals he is visiting.

“Further, a physician should announce his fees before rendering service and not after the operation or treatment is under way and remuneration received for such services should be in the form and amount specifically announced to the patient at the time the service is rendered,” said Minister of State for Health Faggan Singh Kulaste in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

Kulaste gave the seemingly tangential reply when asked whether the goverment is considering issuing directions to doctors to recieve their fee in cashless mode in order to prevent the hoarding of black money.

Following the demonetisation move by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the narrative of a cashless economy and digital transactions have been pushed hard by this government. (AGENCIES)