One of the most serious problems confronting doctors in India today is that of the increasingly prevalent practice of consultants giving cuts to general practitioners for patient referrals. This practice was introduced just 50 years ago, but has become so widespread today, that the doctor who does not give ( or take) cuts today in most large Indian cities has become the exception ! How could such a practice , which has always been frowned upon , become established as the norm so quickly ? And how could practically the entire profession not only condone it, but adopt it so quickly? Is the Indian doctor morally bankrupt ?
And why haven’t we been able to curtail this sad state of affairs ? Let’s start by looking at how this practise evolved. Cuts were practically unheard of even 50 years ago. In those days, the general practitioner was the family doctor, who ministered to most problems.…
