Cashing in on patients'plight

These doctors refer patients to the diagnostic centers for tests often unnecessarily, allegedly for 'commission', sources alleged.

There are eight registered and 17 unregistered diagnostic centers in the town. Most of these centres have arrangements with doctors to refer patients in exchange of benefits.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

The diagnostic centers charge from patients 10 to 20 times the actual cost of tests and share the huge profit with doctors. This was gathered from a number of employees working at different centres who talked to this correspondent on condition of anonymity.

An investigation by 'The Daily Star' revealed that doctors get 30 to 45 percent 'commission' from the profit earned by the diagnostic labs from such tests.

In many cases, the doctors also get loans and costly gifts such as computer, refrigerator, cell phone and fashionable items.

Many of the centres have set up doctors' chamber for consultation and this practice is growing.

Everyday, hundreds of patients crowd the chambers of government doctors at the diagnostic centres. These doctors are employed at Magura Sadar Hospital and upazila health complexes.

Some centres have set up air-conditioned chambers for doctors to attract patients. The owners of most of the centres however claim that the arrangements are for the benefit of patients.

An employee at a diagnostic centre preferring anonymity said, "Blood sugar test involves less than Tk 6 but Tk 100 is charged from patients while its rate at Magura Sadar hospital is Tk 25 only. A routine urine test costs less than Tk 8 but Tk 50 to 60 is taken for this".

Another employee said, "Cost of reagents for blood group test is less than Tk 6 but diagnostic centres charge Tk 130 to 150 for a test. Such a test costs only Tk 33 at Magura Sadar Hospital".

The certres have different rates for similar tests in the absence of rules and inspection by the authorities concerned, they claimed.

"We have no fixed rates", admitted an owner of a diagnostic centre. "The rates are fixed on the basis of mutual understanding among owners".

About the unusual profit, owner of another diagnostic centre admitted that reagents for X-ray films is not so expensive. But establishment cost, electricity charge, staff salary and many other things raise the rates, he said.

The Managing Director of a diagnostic centre said, "We are in a competitive market. If tests are costlier at one centre, clients would naturally go to another centre. So it is not true that diagnostic centres are charging unusual high rates".

MA Bari, owner of Unique Diagnostic Centre, however claimed, 'We do not pay commission to any doctor or have no representative, we just run our business depending on our goodwill only.'

Talking to this correspondent, some patients said they are aware of the high profit earned by the diagnostic centres but are undone.

"I went to a doctor for stomach pain. He asked me to get six different tests done. I knew all the tests were not necessary but could I protest the doctor's prescription?" the patient said. All these are happening as the authorities concerned are silent and they have no control over the diagnostic centres.

When contacted, Magura Civil Surgeon Farid Uddin Ahmed admitted unusual high rates at diagnostic centres. They should follow the rates at government hospitals, he said.