Pay before treatment has slowly become a common mode of operation in many hospitals today, and frankly, it’s not totally the fault of the medical personnels because healthcare in many parts of the world runs on an "out-of-pocket" policy, meaning that most of their equipment, including beds and surgical tools, are funded from their own pockets. This is why upfront payment is often required before treatment can commence.
We also cannot blame many of the staff in medical facilities because they do not dismiss patients in emergency situations. In fact, that is illegal in a lot of countries, including Nigeria. They only turn down non-emergency treatments and surgeries for patients who cannot afford to pay upfront. So by many standards, these hospitals are doing their best for the masses while also ensuring that their facilities do not run into bankruptcy or incur heavy debt.
Now, the issue with healthcare emergencies is the fact that this pay-before-treatment mode of operation is not regulated by any governing body and that’s why we have some hospitals that refuse to do surgeries unless full payment is made. This practice alone is a huge slap on our country’s healthcare system because it does mean that we value money over the lives of citizens we were called to heal and care for.
It’s also unfortunate because healthcare should not only be affordable but accessible to the average citizen of any country. In most countries with better systems, policies, and regulations, healthcare is not considered a luxury. Both the rich and poor can access it at little to no cost because their taxes are being used for this purpose and their governments value the lives of every individual legaly building a life on their soil. The doctors in such countries are also empathetic enough not to turn down a patient who needs an emergency surgery.
In all of this, the government under which healthcare is inaccessible is to be blamed because they are failing woefully in their duties to regulate processes and ensure that the average citizen has access to basic payment plans for surgeries without having to break the bank.
It is also the government's responsibility to protect every citizen’s healthcare rights, ensuring that general hospital staff are paid their wages without delay and that there is adequate provision of medical equipment and drugs to help alleviate costs. When this is made possible, there will be fewer patient turn-downs and less referrals to private facilities.
Another way to help curb this problem is to ensure that many employed people are educated on the benefits of insurance. That way, their medical bills are covered by the companies they work with, and they get to receive proper care and attention when they fall ill or become victims of any emergency. The payment plan for surgeries should also be in line with the standard minimum wage of the country where the patient resides.
By the way, many health care workers carry out their duties according to the directives of hospital management. If the hospital runs a strict “pay before treatment” policy, then there’s little to nothing they can do about that situation. Yes, it is true that it is their duty to save lives, but we should also remember that private hospitals cannot operate with limited income because they are not charity organizations. Our focus should be on asking the government to provide citizens with proper access to basic healthcare at no cost, more partnerships with affordable hospitals, and strong rules to help reduce the extortion that goes on in their institutions.
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