Posted By :  Admin1

Mumbai: To address the rising concern of unqualified practitioners in the medical sector, the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) is in the process of creating a mobile application named "Know Your Doctor." This app will serve as a platform for users to easily access and verify essential information about registered medical practitioners in Maharashtra. Dr. Vinky Rughwani, Administrator of MMC, highlighted the importance of such a tool, noting, "With numerous instances of bogus doctors reported, it's a pressing challenge. This app will empower patients to verify the qualifications, degrees, and MMC registration numbers of the doctors they consult." MMC, functioning as a quasi-judicial authority responsible for overseeing medical education and ethical standards in the state, manages approximately 1.8 lakh registered doctors, with about 9,000 new registrations annually. Dr. Rughwani emphasized the app's uniqueness, stating, "This app will be unparalleled across the country, as no other council has undertaken such an endeavor before. With the pervasive use of smartphones, even in rural areas, our aim is to empower patients with vital information about their doctors." Although the MMC lacks direct authority to address fraudulent practitioners, Dr. Rughwani explained that through the app, the council will provide recognition to registered practitioners and guide patients to avoid seeking treatment from unregistered or unqualified individuals. He mentioned, "We are currently streamlining the standard operating procedure for registered doctors." Having assumed the role of MMC's administrator two weeks ago, Dr. Rughwani stated that alongside expediting the app development, the council will address 692 pending complaints, including cases of medical negligence. "Many of the cases involve medical negligence. We have resolved to enlist assistance from specialists in the relevant medical fields. For instance, in gynaecological matters, we will engage gynaecologists to assess the complaints and proceedings. Our aim is to conduct hearings weekly to clear the backlog," he explained. Currently, the MMC's operations are overseen by the administrator in the absence of the 18-member committee. The committee's term concluded on August 7, 2022, leading to its dissolution. Subsequently, Dr. Pallvi Saple, the dean of Sir JJ Group of Hospitals, was appointed as the administrator for a one-year term. Following the expiration of Dr. Saple's tenure on October 9, 2023, Dr. Dilip Mhaisekar, the director of the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), assumed the additional responsibility. According to the gazette notification, although conducting MMC elections will require some time, the government has opted to designate Dr. Rughwani, a former vice president of MMC, as the new administrator. Dr. Rughwani will be responsible for exercising all powers and fulfilling all duties of the council for the next one year or until MMC elections are conducted.