The Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) has decided to seek an amendment to the MMC Act of 1965, to bring the private healthcare sector, with its increasing number of corporate hospitals, under its scope. An increase in complaints against these corporate entities, and the lack of control in ensuring ethical practices across the sector, prompted the move.

MMC presently has four ethics committees and every month, decisions are taken on 14-15 cases. However, nearly 60 cases are heard from across the state every month. The complaints that the council receives usually concern the agony of patients and their relatives against corporate hospitals. The complaints usually include issues like delays in treatment that either turn a patient critical or lead to death.

At a recent meeting of all state medical councils, it was decided that each one of them would request their respective governments for greater power and jurisdiction. MMC president, Dr Shivkumar Utture, mentioned that under the present MMC Act, they are able to act only against members registered with them. Corporate and private chain hospitals have increased and the concept of single doctor-run hospitals is going obsolete. He added that when there are complaints, they can only act against individual doctors, not hospitals. He further stated that the council will approach the government to give it powers to act against hospitals as well.

MMC member, Dr Dilip Sarda, stated that they cannot act against corporate hospitals as they are run by non-medical professionals, who are not registered with them and not accountable to them. No provision till date allows them to take action against unethical practices of hospitals.

Corporate hospitals are welcoming the idea. Bomi Bhote, chief executive officer, Ruby Hall Clinic and Charitable Hospitals Association, Pune, stated that they were happy about the decision. They would prefer to go to the council rather than to the courts. At the MMC, they will deal with the medical fraternity, who will better understand the technicalities involved, that nonmedicos cannot understand. Only a doctor can appreciate the situation of another medical professional, stated Bhote.

Dr Sanjay Patil, Chairman, Hospital Board of India, Pune Chapter, suggested that there was lack of uniformity in medical ethics of hospitals across India. He stated that the move was welcome. The MMC Act was drafted and approved decades ago and the situation has changed now as hospitals are no longer run by a single doctor but have become corporate entities run by non-medicos, he added.

Noble Hospital Executive Director, Dr HK Sale, mentioned that provisions of law need to be changed to align with changed environments. He added that action needs to be taken when medical ethics are compromised, regardless of whether the violation was committed by a medical person or otherwise.