My request to Indian Medical Association - legalise quacks

Reading the title you might be wondering - what are you saying? Why should quacks be legalised? They aren’t authorised to treat people, so why do you want that?

I will justify my answer. First let me tell you some facts. All over India there are many quacks practising as doctors. If my source is to be believed then Mumbai alone has a thousand plus doctors without medical degree. Thing is patients are coming to them for treatment and seemingly doing fine. So even if they reveal that they don’t have a legal degree, they’ll continue getting patients, because they have developed a certain trust with them.

Even otherwise there are patients who believe in self-medicating themselves. They look up to Google for information, without verifying credentials of the author, whether that person had a medical degree or not. And now people look up to AI tools for diagnosis. So if people can consult Google or AI, why can’t they consult quacks? It’s their life, their choice. 

Most people don’t want preventive healthcare. Tell them not to have ultra processed foods, they won’t stop. They want to live the life they want to and then take some medicine to get cured. Prevention is not better than cure, living the dream life is. So if someone wants to consult a quack, then let them do it. In any case we have people whose videos exhibit that they’ve cured others from incurable diseases by making them change their religion. So if such religious heads can treat people then why not quacks?

Also think that how cheap this will make healthcare to be. I have heard about kids of established doctors who first spent ₹1 crore to study MBBS on a paid seat and then ₹4 crore for MD again on a paid seat; eventually to join their family’s hospital. So if they have spent ₹5 crore (more than half a million dollars) just to buy degrees for practising, then they will ultimately recover it from patients. Therefore it’s better to let them join their parental profession and learn on the job. If people can become head of a company by joining their family business, thereby getting precedence over someone else more experienced and qualified, then why can’t it happen to Doctors? OTT platforms put more money on projects starring actor kids rather than rank newcomers. So if this happened to hospitals also then there will be patients trusting their favourite Doctor’s child more than a totally new entrant in the medical line. Hence if someone saves ₹5 crore on education then they’ll pass on the benefit directly to their patients. 

This will also boost the economy. A person won’t need to buy honorary Doctorate just to suffix “Dr.” for increasing their business prospects. With additional disposable income at their hand, they’ll spend it elsewhere, maybe on food, shopping and tourism (without relying on pharma companies to "sponsor" their trips). They can also use it to buy a laptop with subscriptions to paid AI tools. If they’re able to treat a patient with their experience then fine, if not then they can consult various AI tools. Chrome browser on their desktop will have multiple tabs open. One tab for ChatGPT, one tab for Claude, one for Gemini, one for MetaAI, etc. The moment a patient will ask a question, they’ll create prompt and feed to all these AI tools. Depending on whosoever gives the best answer, they’ll prescribe that solution. 

And if the prescription goes wrong then it’ll not be fault of the quack. Any patient going for treatment will fully know that they are going on their own to someone without a valid degree. Just like how no FMCG company forces people to consume their cheap packaged foods cooked in palm oil. People just want to buy a packet of biscuits for ₹5, irregardless of the raw material used. Grocery store owners have told me that they keep such stuff because their customers demand it. So who’s at fault - the person making/selling such goods or the person buying them?

Finally, let me tell you a few facts. Apple computers was started by Steve Jobs who didn’t have a degree in Computers. Some of the best rulers didn’t have a degree on how to govern. For skin treatment, many people these days are following advice from random YouTubers, even if it’s a paid content. A decent number of people first work as compounders in a big city clinic and later start their own medical practice in villages which thrives due to lack of a Doctor nearby. Even if people know it isn’t a real doctor, they still go as it gives them relief.

So if customers don’t have a problem then why do authorities have?

Atom bomb - Making free healthcare a reality

Most people want doctors to treat them for free, so that they won’t have to pay any money. The conventional thought among people is that healthcare should be free of cost. Yet, it doesn’t happen, for several reasons. Almost every doctor I personally regard, doesn’t believe in it. Still, if you want healthcare to be completely free, then here’s just one thing which you would have to do:

Start your own hospital and openly proclaim that everything will be free. All consultations. All surgeries. All tests. All medicines. Absolutely free of cost to the patient. 

Because you want free healthcare, na? So, do it yourself. Open up your own hospital. Purchase adequate land and construct it legally. Buy all the machines. Hire highly competent doctors on stupendous salary packages. Assure them they won’t have any work pressure, and that working for you will be like a dream come true. 

Think you can’t start your own hospital because you’re not a doctor? Well, let me tell you, that:

• The duo who started Fortis are not doctors. 
• The guy who started Max is not a doctor. 

These two are among the top Indian hospital chains. You go beyond them and make such an awesome brand that people will forget all others. So excellent that yours will be the de facto standard. 

The power of thinking big

Plan something world-class. Whatever is your perception of an ideal hospital, visualise that and make it happen. Build something so great that all those patients who negatively stereotype doctors, will come only to your hospital. Yours will be the preferred choice of everyone who thinks that doctors shouldn’t charge any fees from their patients. 

May you rock the world 

I would really want your hospital to succeed. May you have so many patients that your doctors will find it hard to handle. Then, how will you manage the workload? It’s simple. By recruiting more doctors. In fact, you can hire MBBS graduates, who vastly outnumber the amount of super specialists. Just visit medical colleges and do campus hiring. Give medical students a job offer while they’re still studying. That way they would settle down in 20’s, like some of their engineering counterparts. Further, it’ll reduce pressure on students to clear NEET and other PG exams. In any case, most aren’t able to clear them due to which they move to other fields like IT or Pharma. That way, if another pandemic-like situation comes, then there won’t be a shortage of qualified doctors in the market. 

Let people realise your greatness

Along with hiring undergraduate doctors, also spend money on a viral marketing campaign. Convince people that for most basic cases, it’s absolutely fine to get themselves treated from an MBBS doctor, instead of going for super specialists. Tell them that if they don’t have any problem using software made by a college dropout, why can’t they get themselves treated by a legit medical professional, who’s cured actual patients during their course of education? Make people realise that an MBBS doctor has a lot of clinical skill, not necessarily less than those who have cleared PG exams. Also, make them realise that some students don’t go for PG, because they can’t afford the options they’re getting. 

Stepping stones for success

Your next step will be to hire other staff for your hospital. This will consist of the usual ones such as nurses, compounders, receptionists etc. but that will not be all. You’ll hire some more type of people which others don’t hire. 

The first type will a person who’ll meet every patient after check up, asking them not to devalue the prescription, just because they’ve got it for free. Every doctor I’ve met, has faced this issue where people don’t value the consultation if it’s given to them free of cost. So what if those doctors failed? You hire special staff to make yourself succeed. Better still, you do that yourself. After all, you only wanted healthcare to be free, so you know better why people should value it. 

In addition to that, two more types of staff members will be required. One shall be those who will explain to patients that a doctor tries their best and it’s not their fault if a patient doesn’t recover despite all efforts. The second type will be bouncers, to flex their muscles, in case a patient argues with the doctor using random diagnosis taken from the Internet.

Completely forego any chance of profits

And now, coming to the medicines part. If you are one of those who considers profit a bad word for Pharma companies, then do this. Put up a sign board outside your hospital saying that medical representatives won’t be allowed. Have your own pharmacy giving generic medicines. All your doctors will prescribe their medicines only. In case a patient develops reaction to generic medicines of a certain brand, then it’ll be your fault and not that of the doctor. Because you only had set that rule. 

The best a patient can get

Due to free medicines, there can be chances of leakage. To prevent that, please make sure to invest in software. Have everything digitised, including prescriptions, pharmacy, inventory, CSSD, etc. 

A complete software-enabled setup will also result in a good patient experience. A common complaint among low-cost hospitals is too much of crowding and waiting times. But that shouldn’t concern you, because you’ll be doing something far-far better. Implement software to enable your patients to book appointment from home and come only when their turn is near. No one will have to sit inside for hours, while waiting for their turn. The overall experience should be such that if any patient wants an appointment then they’ll get it instantly, without having to wait for days or weeks. There’ll also be free pickup & drop facility along with valet parking, to ensure overall customer delight. Patients will actually look forward to visiting your hospital, instead of dreading. 

Everyone will be happy

In fact, make sure there is absolutely no complaint from the customer. So, all the floors should be clean, staff should be well behaved, cafeteria should serve delicious food, and infrastructure should be upgraded every few years. 

Also, your employee retention levels should be high. Doesn’t matter what’s the market situation, you will have to give them regular increments. If you’ve ever wondered why 15% of all doctors in USA are Indians, then here’s your chance to reverse the trend. Give your doctors an absolutely relaxed work environment and a very high pay. Also, give them annual paid vacations with family and the latest electronic gadgets. Offer so many benefits that whichsoever doctor works with you, will be so satisfied that they won’t ever think of working anywhere else.

Bring a revolution 

On the matter of complete satisfaction, you can do one more thing which will bring a revolution. In case a patient dies in the hospital, then their family members will be given money, as a compensation. That money will be deducted from your pocket, not that of the doctor. This will encourage doctors to work for you and also more patients will come visiting. Along with that, your home address and personal mobile number will be prominently displayed on the reception area. This is in case a patient dies accidentally and their family members want to know, whom to vent out their anger on. 

Last but not the least

Above all, make sure that the money you’re using to give free treatment, doesn’t have any source of dubious earnings. It shouldn’t be an indirect mean to change someone’s religious or political beliefs. It should not be a way to convert any black money into white. It should not be a means to cover up for someone’s past misdeeds. 

Earn your money the hard way, and use that to do something that will solve the healthcare problems forever.