In India’s major cities, easy access to top hospitals, specialists, and advanced diagnostics has undoubtedly improved healthcare access. But it has also given rise to a growing and potentially harmful trend known as “doctor shopping” where patients move from one physician to another before a treatment plan has had enough time to work. According to Dr. Ravindra Setty, senior cardiac surgeon at Narayana Health City, this behavior is often driven by impatience and the assumption that another clinician may offer a quicker or more effective fix.
In practice, however, this pattern can disrupt care, inflate expenses, and increase medical risk. A common scenario is familiar to many clinicians. A patient develops symptoms such as persistent cough or fever, receives treatment, but expects rapid improvement. If symptoms continue for a few days, instead of returning for review, the patient seeks a…
