Hyderabad medical bodies have rejected broad allegations that private doctors routinely charge high consultation fees or subject patients with fever to expensive investigations, while supporting transparent billing and action against hospitals and doctors found violating ethical practices.
The Indian Medical Association, Warangal, and the Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association, Telangana, responded to purported remarks by MLC Vijayashanti on consultation fees and investigation costs in private hospitals. The associations said the conduct of a few doctors or corporate hospitals should not be generalised to the entire medical profession.
HRDA president Dr Karthik Nagula said consultation fees were not uniformly fixed at ₹1,000–₹1,500 and varied according to a doctor’s qualification, speciality, experience, location and the type of healthcare facility. He also disputed the suggestion that every patient reporting fever was subjected to investigations costing ₹15,000–₹30,000.
According to Nagula, the tests required for a patient depended on the clinical condition, duration and severity of the illness, age, comorbidities, examination findings and the doctor’s clinical judgement. He said investigations for complicated or serious illnesses could not be compared with those for simple, self-limiting fever.
The associations nevertheless said they supported measures to prevent unnecessary investigations, irrational treatment and excessive billing wherever such practices were established. They called for transparent billing, rational investigation protocols and informed consent so that patients could understand the costs and medical reasons for treatment and tests.
IMA and HRDA also said the financial structure of small and medium-sized hospitals differed from that of large corporate hospitals. They cited recurring expenses including doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff, building rent, infrastructure, medical equipment, loan repayments, maintenance contracts, electricity, biomedical waste management, fire safety, municipal and professional taxes and other statutory compliances.
The medical bodies said any doctor or hospital found engaging in unethical or irrational practices should face action based on evidence against the specific individual or institution. Their response places responsibility for accountability alongside a warning against treating allegations involving individual facilities as proof of uniform practices across private healthcare.
HRDA also urged the Telangana government to strengthen primary and urban healthcare facilities by improving infrastructure, medicines and diagnostic services. It called for round-the-clock doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff at these centres so that quality healthcare is accessible to poor and vulnerable sections.
The associations’ position leaves transparent billing, informed consent, rational testing and stronger public health centres as the stated next steps in addressing concerns over healthcare costs and access.
