Paying a lot for medical examination makes one side more important than the other?

Many readers sent comments about hospital staff 'discriminating' when patients registered for regular check-ups and specialist check-ups.

Patients waiting to see a doctor at a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City (illustrative photo) - Photo: PHUONG QUYEN

The article "Why are hospital staff so biased towards patients?" received many responses from Tuoi Tre Online readers.

According to the article, when patients register for a normal examination, the staff guides them with an indifferent attitude and speaks curtly. When patients register to see a specialist, they are treated with a completely different attitude.

Paying more means better service?

Expressing his opinion on this situation, reader Tran Quang Dinh said that this sad reality has been happening in many hospitals.

According to reader Minh Tran, although the health sector has undergone many reforms, this situation still persists in some hospitals. The reason, according to reader Trung, is that "normal check-ups are cheap, so the staff are tight-lipped."

Meanwhile, some readers also believe that patients who pay more money should enjoy better services.

Reader Hai Le also shared that perhaps people need to get used to this. Because going to a resort or a 5-star hotel is of course better served than a roadside restaurant. Going to an international hospital or a high-quality service department is also normal and is more welcoming.

"Fairness is to let customers be served according to what they pay. Spending less but demanding better service is not fair to those who pay more," added lamd****@gmail.com.

Should medical examination services not be differentiated?

However, many readers do not agree with the above statement.

"Whether you have a regular or VIP medical examination, you still have to pay for the examination and hospital fees. It's not like people are begging for free medical examinations, but the place where you submit your book makes it difficult for them" - a reader expressed.

Reader Manh affirmed that as patients, we need to be treated equally and fairly.

Meanwhile, reader DD thinks that patients need to be equal, which is reasonable, but the saying "patients are customers" is not reasonable.

Customers must pay according to market prices, following market rules, not according to prescribed price frames.

The saying "patients are customers" is only true for private healthcare. Public healthcare is still primarily about "serving the people", there are no customers here.

Reader Dan shared that a famous private hospital in Ho Chi Minh City also has regular check-ups and specialist check-ups. Why do private hospitals differentiate like that? Does regular check-ups mean the doctors are not good? And if regular check-ups do not diagnose the disease, can they be transferred to a specialist or do patients have to pay more?

According to the account thut****@gmail.com, a hospital that provides both regular and service examinations is not advisable because many cases of "discrimination between this patient and that patient" have appeared and existed for a long time. This can easily lead to unfair treatment and disadvantages for regular patients.

Otherwise, "health insurance premiums must be increased so that hospitals can cover costs (when calculated correctly and sufficiently). People in difficult circumstances, those with meritorious services, the poor... will still receive support as before," this reader suggested.

Reader D. suggested that public hospitals should apply the same price to all hospitals, without any classification or tiering. However, the State must allocate enough budget for public hospitals to operate effectively.

Meanwhile, reader Kha believes that this happens because the salaries of medical staff and the cost of hospital supplies are not "calculated correctly and sufficiently". If the State pays high salaries to medical staff and "collects correctly" in proportion to the cost of supplies and human intelligence, the above situation will end.

According to reader Buoi, hospitals should train receptionists, tour guides, cashiers...

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tra-nhieu-tien-kham-benh-nen-ben-trong-ben-khinh-20241104120911679.htm