While patient rights has been extensively discussed and debated , there is some concern especially in country like India, where violence against medical professionals has increased to prohibitive levels. This is mainly attributed to low levels of tolerance and high expectations from the doctors and hospitals.
There has been multiple Incidents where doctors are attacked, even when a life is lost due an incurable disease in spite of well administered treatment . Many patients are unable to differentiate the natural history of illness , any death is looked upon as medical negligence. In this context, there is a call for patient education and teaching them responsibilities and make them understand the complexity and uncertainty in the science of biology, and also accept the reality of inadvertent errors in judgment and execution in medical practice.
A curious solution is suggested .Yes , its called Hippocratic Oath : Patient version .The father of medicine would have never thought , a day would come , when patients might, try to prevail over the Doctors .Readers may decide about the political correctness , utility and practicality of such an oath.
Dr.S.Venkatesan MD 