Doctors, patients and money

Doctors are professionals who charge for their services and most patients are happy to pay these fees - after all, good medical care can be priceless. However, many doctors are often clueless about the cost of the treatments they provide- especially with regard to some of the new medicines; and even big ticket items such as surgery.

While they are aware of their professional fees, many are blissfully unaware of how much the hospital charges for its services - and how the hospital pads its bills. While many doctors fume about this in private, they usually put up with these evils as "the cost of doing business" - and since they are not united, they cannot fight the hospital management effectively. In the long run, it's their patients who suffer. It's quite funny to see the "sticker shock" which doctors get when they seek medical treatment for their family members in their own hospitals.

Why are doctors so poorly informed regarding the financial burden they levy on their patients as a result of their advise ? Many feel that money is a grubby topic which is below their dignity to consider. Others take the attitude that they need to prescribe the " best " - never mind the costs. This can be counterproductive - and many patients are driven to bankruptcy because of the high costs of medical treatment.

This is why offering all inclusive packages which cover all costs can be so helpful. This prevents last-minute financial surprises - and allows the patient to select the package which suits his budget.

In our clinic, we go one step further. IVF treatment can be very expensive - and since the outcome of a given cycle is always uncertain, the expense on IVF is potentially open-ended and limitless. This is why we offer our patients a money back option . Not only does this serve as a guarantee of our confidence in the high quality of medical care we provide; it also allows the patient to limit their financial exposure, thus putting a cap on their expenses. It also allows them to approach the IVF treatment with more realistic expectations,since they are mentally prepared that it may not be a single shot affair .