During my recent trip, I had the unique opportunity to get acquainted with a recent addition to the Delhi medical-scape, namely the Max Hospital in Saket. Built as a bastion to attract the nouveau riche of India, this chain of hospitals seems to offer premium service at a premium price. Or does it?

My experience with this particular branch has been anything but good. To begin with, they messed up a vaccination I was scheduled to take, with a test for Tuberculosis and had no entry for it when the head of the emergency ward (where anyone could walk into, without question), tried to confirm the date/time of the vaccination. I kept repeating what I wanted when I was administered the wrong jab, but it seemed obvious that these people were more interested in seeing the green in my wallet rather than hear what it is that I wanted. The nurse who injected me with the TB test (which was negative of course), kept telling me that this was an MMR vaccination, and I rather naively believed. This is expected perhaps in a general hospital with low funds and insufficient staff, but in a hospital that tries to pride itself in its professionalism and premium service, this is simply unacceptable.

To cap it all, my brother, next, went for an appointment with the resident Ophthalmologist, and to our chagrin, found the doctor to be VERY rude and all-assuming. I was just moments away from lodging a complaint. However, the examination was done and my brother was prescribed glasses. The doctor in addition to being rude, also seemed absent minded, and the Spherical number he prescribed seemed to be out of order. He prescribe a positive spherical index where it should’ve been negative, and like fools we thought better than to question the doctor, and got some prescription glasses made for my brother, who now complains of not being able to see well with the same. I ask you.

It is time indeed to overhaul the medical standards in a country where the need for the same is paramount. The consumer courts should allow for quick and easy addressing of complaints made by dissatisfied consumers and customers, who are otherwise swayed to not lodge their grievances, knowing the length of time involved.