How patient advocacy can heal a sick healthcare system!Dr Malpani, MDFounderHELP – Health Education Library for People

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…

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

Internet positive patients

•Frustrated•Confused

•Frustrate doctors as well

Results ?

•Doctor –shopping•Doctors get beaten up and arrested•Hospitals get burnt down•Doctors go on strike

•Everyone suffers !

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 !

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 !

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