Punjab Medical Council has asked all doctors, institutions and hospitals to display the rate list for various treatments in accordance with the Indian Medical (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002.
In a press release issued recently by PMC president Dr GS Grewal and registrar Dr Manjit Kaur Mohi, all registered medical practitioners, institutions and organisations have been advised to implement the statutory regulations in letter and spirit.
The notice said any violation thereof will constitute professional misconduct liable for disciplinary action as deemed in law, including, but not limited to, the removal of the name of the registered medical practitioner from the Medical Register, altogether or for a specified period.
Giving details of the guidelines, they said a physician should announce his fees before rendering service and not after the operation or treatment was underway. A physician will clearly display the fees and other charges on the board of his chamber and the hospital and/or provide a computerised receipt of every payment made.
They said all charges, including consultation fees, medical devices rates like stent, orthopaedic implants and other implanted devices, operative fees, laboratory investigation rates, radiology investigation rates, ward expenditure for indoor patients as well as any other performed medical or surgical procedure should be displayed in a transparent and explicit manner for the benefit of the patients and general public and/or a computerised receipt given for every payment.
{{/usCountry}}They said all charges, including consultation fees, medical devices rates like stent, orthopaedic implants and other implanted devices, operative fees, laboratory investigation rates, radiology investigation rates, ward expenditure for indoor patients as well as any other performed medical or surgical procedure should be displayed in a transparent and explicit manner for the benefit of the patients and general public and/or a computerised receipt given for every payment.
{{/usCountry}}The guidelines also clarify that a physician will not give, solicit or receive nor will offer to give solicit or receive any gift, gratuity, commission or bonus in consideration of or in return for the referring, recommending or procuring of any patient for medical, surgical or other treatment.