Maharashtra Medical Council Launches ‘Know Your Doctor’ Initiative to Tackle Bogus Practitioners
Reported by Tikam Shekhawat
Pune, 4th December 2024: In a significant move to combat the growing issue of unqualified medical practitioners, the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) has launched the “Know Your Doctor” initiative. This program aims to provide patients with quick and reliable access to their doctor’s credentials through a dedicated nameplate featuring a QR code.
By scanning the QR code, patients can access crucial information, including the doctor’s registration details with MMC and their educational qualifications. In the long term, MMC plans to expand this service into a mobile application, making it even more accessible.
Speaking to Punekar News, Dr. Vinky Rughwani, Administrator of MMC, highlighted the initiative’s importance.
“It is probably the first of its kind across India. We frequently hear about bogus doctors through various news reports, and patients often struggle to verify their doctor’s credentials. The ‘Know Your Doctor’ QR code will allow them to check if the doctor they are consulting is registered, their qualifications, and their MMC registration number,” Dr. Rughwani said.
MMC, a quasi-judicial body that regulates medical education and ethics in Maharashtra, oversees around 1.8 lakh registered doctors, with nearly 9,000 new registrations annually.
Dr. Rughwani emphasized the initiative’s potential to empower patients, especially in rural areas where access to verified healthcare information is limited.
“With the widespread use of smartphones, even in rural regions, we aim to empower patients with critical information about their healthcare providers. This initiative ensures that patients do not fall victim to unregistered or fraudulent practitioners,” he added.
While MMC lacks direct authority to take action against fraudulent doctors, this initiative serves as a tool to help patients identify legitimate practitioners and avoid unqualified individuals.
