Hyderabad: Nearly 10 per cent of the patients recorded their conversation with doctors, without permission, during their clinical visits, according to a research by Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy.
The use of smart phones to record what the doctor says can always backfire as it can be used in malpractice suits and also against the doctors in social media. While some physicians were found to encourage those who were critically ill and could not remember the instructions to record it on the smart phones, permission was taken only by two per cent of the patients and their extended family.
According to the study, smart phone recording has the potential of being used in legal proceedings and hence there are certain guidelines which have to be set before the physician allows such a recording.
In a recent case in the city, a senior robotic surgeon at a corporate hospital was asked to leave as he gave an opinion about cancer treatment in Aarogyasree which was construed as ‘adverse’.
On conditions of anonymity, a senior IMA doctor explained, “An 80-year-old patient who had come for the treatment of cancer was turned down by the doctor. He stated that treatment of cancer under the scheme was not effective. The doctor advised them to get admitted and seek treatment as a general patient. This was video recorded and circulated in the social media. Before the government could act against the corporate hospital, they asked the doctor to leave. The corporate hospital couldn’t afford this kind of counselling of doctors.”
The case has now become an example in terms of schemes and also advice for very critical patients who come in emergency situation is closely evaluated as there is a fear of backfiring.
