We all know that the primary responsibility of a doctor is to cater to the health needs of a patient; but what happens when he insists on payment before attending to an emergency situation. Payment or deposits before attending to an emergency situation in our hospitals has become a controversial issue, with different Nigerians holding on to divergent views over the matter. While doctors insist that they have been victims of several unpaid medical bills in the past and thus have a right to withhold treatment to a patient during emergency, none medical personal disagree.
So is it right for doctors to insist on payment or deposits before treating a patient that has been brought to the hospital in an emergency situation? What if the patient loses his or life in the process of trying to raise money for treatment? What if the patient gets treatment out of the doctor’s kindness, but fails to get his money back? As a doctor, what comes first; saving life or securing your payment? As a doctor, do you ever feel bad when a patient dies in your hospital because he or she is unable to raise enough money for treatment?
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