Medical ethics tells us that "(T)he primary objective of the practice of medicine is service to mankind..." This principle has been abused to justify poor compensation for doctors with their work. There is injustice. This is specially true for young doctors who receives retainer fees or compensated for the number of hours rendered. But what is the doctor's service worth? If its value is measured monetarily, how much would it cost?
The first and most common argument thrown is that, "medicine is a service and should not be profit-oriented."
It seems to me that the assumption here is that only those that are cheap and free are considered a service. If you receive good money for a service rendered, that becomes profit-oriented. So doctors are made to believe that it is okay for them to receive little to no compensation for their service rendered. If doctors earn good money for their practice, they are not serving humanity.
The second reason, doctors are told that the hospital can only afford to compensate them with a small amount for their service. It's either the doctor take it or leave it. Let me illustrate further:
I am looking to hire a helper in our house (pun intended.) She will help cook the food, wash the dishes, clean the house and wash the clothes. I will need her services to have a decent and clean place. For such services, the acceptable rate in our area for helpers is P3000 a month. (Don't ask me where I live.) I can only offer P2000. Although the acceptable rate is P3000, the prevailing rate and the most common rate offered is P2500. Well, times are tough. It's difficult to get a job. I know people need the money. If they don't want P2000 a month, then they don't have to accept it. I am not pressuring them. I am just offering it to whoever is willing to offer their service for that fee. Is it just for me to offer compensation for the service I know is worth more than that? Is it my fault if there are people willing to receive such compensation for their service?
The third and most important reason why doctors are poorly compensated is because NO ONE CARES. Not even the doctors.
The first and most common argument thrown is that, "medicine is a service and should not be profit-oriented."
It seems to me that the assumption here is that only those that are cheap and free are considered a service. If you receive good money for a service rendered, that becomes profit-oriented. So doctors are made to believe that it is okay for them to receive little to no compensation for their service rendered. If doctors earn good money for their practice, they are not serving humanity.
This is where the professional fee for the professional service given becomes important. Of course, doctors are either compensated with either retainer fees or fee-for-service. But in general, what is a fair fee for the service rendered by the doctor? What will be a "just compensation" for doctors?
The PMA says the "(P)rofessional fees should be commensurate to the services rendered with due consideration to the patient’s financial status, nature of the case, time consumed and the professional standing and skill of the physician in the community." They also explained that for self-employed professionals, there is no universal fee. It depends on the prevailing and acceptable fee among the practitioners in the community.
If there is an acceptable fee, why are doctors poorly compensated for their service? Again, this may not be true for fee-for-service doctors with good practice. But this is especially true for many young doctors on retainer fees/per-duty fee or resident physicians.
The PMA says the "(P)rofessional fees should be commensurate to the services rendered with due consideration to the patient’s financial status, nature of the case, time consumed and the professional standing and skill of the physician in the community." They also explained that for self-employed professionals, there is no universal fee. It depends on the prevailing and acceptable fee among the practitioners in the community.
If there is an acceptable fee, why are doctors poorly compensated for their service? Again, this may not be true for fee-for-service doctors with good practice. But this is especially true for many young doctors on retainer fees/per-duty fee or resident physicians.
The second reason, doctors are told that the hospital can only afford to compensate them with a small amount for their service. It's either the doctor take it or leave it. Let me illustrate further:
I am looking to hire a helper in our house (pun intended.) She will help cook the food, wash the dishes, clean the house and wash the clothes. I will need her services to have a decent and clean place. For such services, the acceptable rate in our area for helpers is P3000 a month. (Don't ask me where I live.) I can only offer P2000. Although the acceptable rate is P3000, the prevailing rate and the most common rate offered is P2500. Well, times are tough. It's difficult to get a job. I know people need the money. If they don't want P2000 a month, then they don't have to accept it. I am not pressuring them. I am just offering it to whoever is willing to offer their service for that fee. Is it just for me to offer compensation for the service I know is worth more than that? Is it my fault if there are people willing to receive such compensation for their service?
The third and most important reason why doctors are poorly compensated is because NO ONE CARES. Not even the doctors.
Maybe because of reason 1 and 2. But this injustice perpetuates because no on is standing against it. A learned prophet once taught, "Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression... " (Isaiah 1:17).
The injustice must stop. People must do something against the unjust practices. Desmond Tutu famously said, "If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor." We must take sides now. No, one or two person cannot do it. There needs to be a collective effort to stand against it. The government, the health industry, hospitals, doctors and even patients must do their share. Together, change can happen.
Doctors still do service to humanity. But what is its value to you?
Doctors still do service to humanity. But what is its value to you?
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