- Corporate Hospitals Under Scrutiny
- Families Face Coercive Practices
- Healthcare Costs Deepen Poverty
- ‘Games Hospitals Play’ – A Journalist’s Book
Article Today, Hyderabad:
A new investigative book has brought disturbing practices in India’s private healthcare sector into sharp focus. Written by journalist Abantika Ghosh, Games Hospitals Play documents how several corporate hospitals allegedly prioritise revenue over ethics. The book draws on case studies, data, and patient testimonies to show how medical care is increasingly treated as a commercial transaction.
Targets Over Treatment
According to the book, many private hospitals function on aggressive revenue targets. Doctors are often assigned monthly financial goals by management. As a result, treatment decisions are influenced less by clinical need and more by institutional pressure. However, hospital administrators publicly deny such practices, even as multiple accounts suggest otherwise.
Tests without Necessity
The author highlights the widespread use of unnecessary diagnostic tests. Patients with minor ailments are routinely prescribed extensive blood work and scans. Meanwhile, laboratories and hospitals allegedly share commissions, creating incentives to increase volumes. Studies cited in the book indicate that nearly one-third of diagnostic tests in India may not be medically required.
Surgery as a Business
The book also examines the rise in avoidable surgical interventions. Caesarean deliveries, cardiac procedures, and orthopaedic surgeries are frequently recommended even when conservative treatment is possible. In addition, internal hospital data suggests that surgeries contribute a major share of corporate hospital revenues, raising concerns about over-medicalisation.
ICU Admissions Questioned
Another serious allegation involves intensive care units. Patients with stable conditions are reportedly shifted to ICUs, leading to sharply higher bills. Daily ICU charges, combined with ventilator and monitoring costs, can run into tens of thousands of rupees. Therefore, families often face severe financial stress within days of admission.
Medicines at Inflated Prices
The book points to steep mark-ups on medicines sold through hospital pharmacies. Patients are often discouraged from purchasing drugs outside. As a result, families end up paying two to three times the market price. National data shows that medicine costs form a significant portion of household health expenditure.
Withholding the Dead
One of the most troubling practices documented is the alleged withholding of bodies after death. Families are reportedly denied the release of deceased relatives until outstanding bills are cleared. Such incidents, while denied by hospitals, have been reported across several cities, prompting legal and ethical questions.
Weak Regulation
The author argues that regulatory oversight remains inadequate. Laws such as the Clinical Establishments Act are unevenly enforced. Meanwhile, insurance companies are accused of aligning with hospital billing practices, leading to higher premiums. Consequently, healthcare expenses continue to push millions into poverty each year.
Call for Reform
Beyond exposing problems, the book suggests solutions. It calls for stronger regulation, higher public health spending, and greater patient awareness. Patients, the author argues, must question unnecessary procedures and seek second opinions. Ultimately, systemic reform is essential to restore trust in medical care and prevent healthcare from becoming a cause of impoverishment.
