Is it the end of the friendly GP?

A couple of decades back, people relied on general physicians (GPs) for all their medical needs, right from treating common colds and fevers to cardiological problems. Even setting a broken arm or the initial stages of pregnancy were dealt by them. The kindly competent GP knew the medical history of every member of a family because he treated them all.But over the last couple of years, the role of the family physicians has been drastically reduced, thanks to the era of ‘specialists’.
The desire for a quick fix has also resulted in people flocking to specialists. “Everyone wants a quick recovery and they feel it’s a wastage of time to consult a general practitioner,� said Dr Saibal De, himself a practising GP.
Over 50 per cent of the GPs’ patients in the city have been weaned away by suave, market savvy medical experts like paediatrics, ENT specialists, cardiologists, gastroenterologists, dermatologists and the like. And the reasons cited are loss of faith, need for a quick cure and ability to pay extra for specialised treatment.
“People have lost faith in GPs because of falling standards,� said Dr N.Ghosh, a paediatrician. “Nowadays they believe more in doctors with specialised degrees than the M.B.B.S doctors,� added Ghosh.
With incomes rising, specialists seem to be the only answer. “People take pride in paying extra and it’s a kind of status symbol too for which they are flocking to specialists’ chambers,� said Asit Sanyal, a psychologist.
It’s paediatricians who’ve gained the most, involving themselves in low-key tasks like immunisation. “Almost 80 per cent of treatment given to children can be administered by GPs,� admitted Dr Bhupendra Avasthi, neo-natologist and paediatrician. “But greater awareness have lead people to specialists.�
However, the GPs’ diminishing status can be salvaged, feel experts, if they keep up to the speed at which medical education programmes are advancing. “GPs need to be made accountable about their knowledge of recent developments,� said Dr Krishnedu Dey, a gynaecologist. “Once that happens, we can handle the ever-increasing patient load. After all, GPs are a vital link in our healthcare system.�
subhra.sircar@timesgroup.com