Some Doctors make unnecessary tests in order to earn commission?

Hi Sagnik, This is one reason why I avoid doctors like plague…they have become more like profit making centres than physicians. My husband is in the medical profession so I know what goes on…starting from the diagnostic centres, to the private nursing homes, to the speciality private hospitals and medicine companies…all offer money and commission to the doctors to promote themselves. The money or commission given is quite substantial so you can very well understand that the cost of treatment rises accordingly. I’m lucky because we have most common medicines at home and since my husband is in this field for more than 15 yrs now, he has a fair knowledge of most treatments of common ailments…he takes care of us until and unless its very necessary. Only then we visit the doctors and then also my husband does all the talking so that the doctors can force us to go for unnecessary tests.

I also work in a hospital and this scenario is very familiar. Most doctors suggest several examinations for a simple fever. This may be acceptable after careful and thorough assessment of the patient. These tests should only accompany the manifestations presented by patient and doctors should not rely on these tests. Sad to say, there are doctors who would order these tests without even assessing the client's concerns. Well, obviously, your doctor would get something if he recommends a testing center of his choice. He might not get any commissions, but perhaps, the owner of the center is his friend, and so on. One clear idea is, he will benefit if he brings patients to that center. That is not acceptable because patients have the right to decide for their own. Doctors can suggest, but final decision should still come from the patient.

Hi, sagnik42. I would not be surprised if they did. Doctors try to make a patient get many tests that they don't need just to make the extra cash. And that is unfair! I don't know why they are so greedy with money when they make so much of it in one day! Sometimes when they order tests and lab work to be done for a patient can in fact harm their bodies in the long run. In situations like this, it is best to get a second opinion. That way you can see how another doctor feels.

Most doctors really do that. It is one way for them to earn something extra. Though I can say that not all doctors do that. There could be a number of reasons as to why a person of that profession take advantage of the situation. However, what did you mean by he "forced" you? Did he blackmail you so that you were forced to do it? Or did he just very aggressively convince you to take that test in that expensive center.? Whichever it was, patients have the right to choose. Doctors can only give advice and referrals but on the outset, it would be up to the patient if he/she will follow the doctor's advice or prefer to choose a place that he/she trusts more. No matter how good the doctor is in his profession, if he doesnt genuinely care about the welfare of his patients, then that's just a title or a job to him, and not a vocation. That is just my opinion anyway.

Yes, some of our doctors certainly do exploit patients. I am quite lucky to have very good doctors in my area. I think, as in every fascet of one's life, a good communication and trust is very important in the relationship you have with your doctor. If he is a good and well liked doctor then maybe it is easy and helps things run smoother if these places are used. Like a routine if another one is used it could make the dominoes(for lack of a better term) fall.

Hai!I am from India too.I think we all have family doctors and they don't prescribe odd tests for simple fever.When you happen to visit a strange doctor or a specialist,then you have to face such consequences.We shall not simply blame them as sometimes we lead them with wrong information and they have to rule out some symptoms before treatment.No doubt,they earn commissions for that.This should be straightened by the law.

sagnik42 you took your mom to a doctor as you needed medical help a nd he saw something in your mom that made him want to check for thyroid problems well for heavens sakes you are not a qualified doctor so let the doctor treat your mom. he would not order tests unless he had some reason.not all doctors are crooks by the wayI do not see any exploiting as specialists have certain types of machinery and have a clinic so thats why they send you there. thyroid problems can make you really ill if not properly treated so dont scoff at that. no the doctors in the US as a rule do not exploit us, its the damned insurance companies here that do that. He sounds like a very competent qualified doctor to me.

Yes...i believed that you are right. But not all doctors are like that.Or else people will be much poorer. I hate doctors like them only interested about money and profits. Money is not something that we can harvest in the backyard anytime.

Hey sagnik! I think that sometimes it is difficult to tell if a doctor is ordering test unnecessarily or if they are doing so for the good of the patient. If you truly trust your doctor then you do what they tell you. I trust my doctor. There are definitely doctors who do prescribe unnecessary tests and are doing so to make money. And, yes I do believe that they might also get a commission if they send you to a particular place that they are affiliated with. That is the reason that you must be able to totally trust the doctor who is treating you or a member of your family. We do have many doctors in the USA who do exploit patients and we need to be very careful when choosing doctors too.

my two friends had an accident while riding a bike. they both had only minor injuries and were taken to the hospital by the ambulance and at the hospital inspite of telling that there were only minor injuries the doctor forced them to take scans in the head,arms,legs and chest which costed around 6000rs indian money.they had no problems in those areas and it's only a waste of money.they were all right the next day and riding bike again..i don't know why the doctors turned as pirates nowadays.

This is a common and valid concern. Considering they are pathological tests, I wouldn't be too concerned. The doctors wouldn't necessarily get a commission, and even if it is a commission, it would be very small such that considering the high incomes earnt by doctors they wouldn't care too much. I would be more concerned if it is a Surgeon that wants to conduct an exploration to find something or a radiologist that wants to do an endoscopy or something of that nature because these are far more risky than pathological testing. Generally, if there is a fever and a viral infection like the flu or cold cannot account for this fever, then there is something more serious that needs to be found. Perhaps he wants to see if there is anything wrong with the thyroid, perhaps an over producing thyroid gland can have adverse effects on the bodies function which can show up as a fever. These are more than normal tests to conduct. Just trust your doctor, they are only doing they're best for you. Obviously some don't and just want money, but if your doctor has treated you well in the past he is likely to treat you well now and into the future. Hope your mum gets better soon.

I don't think a tyroid test is unnecesary. The tyroid controls the body temperature and the way that the body handles with energy, so it's important to keep an eye on it. I hope your mother got better already!

u said so. sometimes i am not convince by what their findings telling coz sometimes we are the one who can feel what really happening to us. one time when my father feel a painful ache on his stomach we decided to bring him to the hospital(public) and ask us to buy this medicine(not that expensive, my father ask the doctor to admit him coz its really paintful instead of giving him medicine i cant believe what the doctor said. he told my poor father this " how can we admit u here if u cant buy that simple medicine then u cant pay us here" imagine that.....my father just ask us to bring him home but we insist him to bring him to another hospital and fpound out that he has peptic ulcer.

Maybe the doctors want to know more about your mother's health condition. Looking through the fact that your mother is getting older and not the other way around. They have to consider your mother's age. What i mean is that your mother's age is prone to anything or something. That even if you say that she is just having a fever, who knows what is going on inside you mother's health. Since their bodgy is aging. Honestly speaking, what the doctor did to your mother is also for your mother's best health..

Hi Sagnik I hope your Mum is better now Maybe with some Doctors it is the case but what they do is make sure they test what they think could cause it I have Emphasima and COPD and every year I have to be tested for a lot of things as this Illness can affect everything in my body so you see the Doctor is just doing his job and looking after your Mum, specially as you said he is a good Doctor and he probably sent you to the best Centre to make sure she gets the best Treatment I do hpe though your Mum is feeling a bit better and that they will find out what is wrong with her

yes they absolutely do. and the older you get,the more wasteful testing they seem to add on. they will use the excuse that they want to "rule out all possibilities" while racking up an astronomical bill. if you have no insurance,you don't want to go to the doctor here unless you absolutely have to. granted there are a few good doctors,but quite a few do like frivolous testing.

In my country we are not forced to take any tests.We have very good doctors as well.I have never heard of being forced to take any kind of test.And hope your mom is feeling better soon.;]

Hello sagnik42 this is checkmail and yeah sometimes doctors do tend to send us to their clinics in order to earn more fess or commissions.But whatever test they ask us to do are simply to check whether its an point of any major disease or not.And especially in case of elders, the advise is more often, even in case of infants the doctors don't wish to take any chances.But yes there have also been scams by the doctors, its so confusing as to keep faith on which doctor.I hope like me keep complete faith on family doctor and the known one .

How true...I had rashes on my body last month and when i went to the doctor...he made me have a lot of tests and finally told me it was a food allergy...which my mom had already guessed...I think most of the doctors try to exploit without thinking about their service to humanity..