“I can’t afford that”
You don’t need to answer the question “How do you cater to people who cannot afford your services?’’ unless you are in healthcare.
We always hear stories how a private hospital turned away a woman in labor because she could not afford the care and, hours later, her baby was born dead in a public hospital, how a hospital surgeon sent a patient who had been having a chest pain to a free care center after examining him and declaring his condition stable. The patient arrived at the free medical center moribund, suffered a cardiac arrest, and died.
A concern for "good business" is at the heart of health care, a sector once relatively insulated from the pursuit of profit that drives the rest of the economy. Throughout history, medical institutions have largely been "charitable," But during the past couple of decades, for-profit health care services, have grown and we talk about how health care is a trillion-dollar industry.
The argument in favor of the for-profit has always been how competition and talent drawn because of profits will result in more efficient and effective healthcare system. While the argument on the other side has always been about consideration of justice and morality.
Knowurture is a for profit venture, we need to plow back the profits we earn towards research and development of better products and services for the patient, which is the only way we can lead the market.
We at Knowurture believe that all persons have a right to live their lives with dignity. We understand that we are not lay managers accountable only to shareholder’s primary aim of making profits. At Knowurture we follow the principle of "fair share". We believe that everybody has an obligation towards fair share. We as a corporate have a certain negotiating power because of our structure and the capabilities, which we will use. Like for eg each of our employees voluntarily signs up for a percentage of free services which is delivered in their free time. The paramedic collecting history provides a free service by extending the servce to 1% – 2% of the cases for free. When we sign up with a specialist doctor to be on our panel we negotiate a few cases free and that is a part of the contract. We pass this on to deserving patients without compromising on their dignity.
In the knowledge economy, the services we offer by design reduces the marginal cost of the next similar service, we use this strategy to handle non-paying cases. We treat this as a cost of our learning and development.
As a constant reminder in the Knowurture world, we believe in letter and spirit in...
HIPPOCRATIC OATH, MODERN VERSION
I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant:
I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow.
I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures which are required, avoiding those twin traps of over treatment and therapeutic nihilism.
I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's drug.
I will not be ashamed to say "I know not," nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the skills of another are needed for a patient's recovery.
I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know. Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God.
I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being, whose illness may affect the person's family and economic stability. My responsibility includes these related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick.
I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure.
I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm.
If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter. May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help.
