How patient advocacy can heal a sick healthcare system! By Dr Malpani, MD Founder HELP – Health Education Library for People

1. How patient advocacy can heal
a sick healthcare system!
Dr Malpani, MD
Founder
HELP – Health Education Library
for People

2. Patients are unhappy with doctors
• Seen to be uncaring
• Money-minded
• Doctors are too busy to talk or to explain
• Overtesting and overtreatment
• Too expensive
• Move to alternative medicine
• Long for the family doctor
of the past…

3. Doctor versus Patient
►Indian patients are becoming increasingly
articulate – they want more information about
their medical conditions
►Unfortunately doctors
do not have the time or the
inclination to provide this
information in detail

4. Internet positive patients
• Frustrated
• Confused
• Frustrate doctors as well

5. Results ?
• Doctor –shopping
• Doctors get beaten up and arrested
• Hospitals get burnt down
• Doctors go on strike
• Everyone suffers !

6. Doctor and Patient
• We are all on the same side – the patients’
• Medicine is a service profession
• Doctors like helping patients
• Want them to get better
• How can we create a win-win situation ?
• We need to bridge the gap !

8. We are all patient advocates !
• 1. You are smart . With the right tools, you can
make the right decisions !
• 2. Knowledge is Power !
• 3. Your doctor is your partner
• 4. You cannot afford to leave everything upto
God – or upto the doctor !

11. Changing the healthcare ecosystem –
patient advocacy puts the patient
first !
•Health insurance companies
•Pharmaceutical companies
•Media
•Government