"Self-worth and professional value of Homeopaths should be decided by themselves." — This is a very thoughtful and relevant topic, especially for Homeopaths today who often struggle between service, sustainability, and self-worth. I have also been pondering over this from a couple of years now and it is a sad reality that the plumbers and carpenters charge more than us now. This is no longer theoretical; it is deeply practical and increasingly urgent topic to talk about.

 

I think Homeopaths today are standing where the allopaths stood a century ago. Today people blame corporate hospitals and criticize them for commercialization of healthcare. This concern is valid to a certain extent, but I suppose the reality is more nuanced. I think apart from the, expensive instruments and massive machinery, advanced diagnostics, intensive care units, skilled staff, legal compliance, etc., the main reason behind developing the corporate hospitals today was because Doctors are humans too and they were living with an unspoken guilt. Doctors are people, and not Saints and they have to run their families and sometimes they also need vacations and want to experience luxuries which the business class enjoys without the guilt. Do they not have families to support, dreams to fulfill, and a right to comfort and dignity?

Why then should a doctor feel guilt for valuing their time, expertise, and responsibility?

And most importantly—is it morally wrong for a doctor to earn well, especially from those who can afford to pay? 

 

Let us pause and ask:

Is rest a luxury—or a necessity for someone who carries constant responsibility?
 Is financial security greed—or protection against burnout and instability?

A well-rested, financially secure doctor is often:

  • More focused
  • Less stressed
  • More empathetic
  • Less likely to experience burnout

In this way, personal well-being is not selfish—it is professional responsibility.


For generations, society has placed doctors on a moral pedestal—expecting them to be compassionate healers, selfless servants, and tireless caregivers. The image of the doctor has long been associated with sacrifice rather than success, service rather than prosperity. Medicine is often called a noble profession, and rightly so. But nobility does not mean poverty, nor does service demand self-denial. Doctors spend years—sometimes decades—studying, training, sacrificing personal time, and carrying enormous responsibility. They make decisions that can mean the difference between life and death. Yet paradoxically, society sometimes expects them to live modestly, almost apologetically, about their earnings.

100 years ago the allopaths went through it and now we’re going through it..!

If people start to do "bargaining" for a Doctors fees, and he/she is under-payed then, doctors in independent or smaller setups can unintentionally be pushed towards corporate systems, and that shift can have mixed consequences for society, especially for the common people, because "what goes around comes around."

 

Sure, Medicine is a calling—but it is also a livelihood. We've been taught this in the very first aphorism of the 'Organon of Medicine'. But, years of education, responsibility, medico-legal risk, staff salaries, infrastructure, and personal life obligations all create financial pressure. When doctors consistently feel that their work is undervalued or inadequately compensated, several predictable things happen:

  • They seek financial stability and predictability
  • They look for institutional support and protection
  • They move toward environments where their skills are recognized and rewarded
  • They reduce risk and burnout

Corporate hospitals often provide these things...! 

As more doctors join corporate setups, community-based clinics may decline, especially in smaller towns. These outcomes can disproportionately affect middle- and lower-income patients. So definitely there is a kind of ripple effect that can happen and healthcare becomes more and more institutionalized and thus more expensive and ultimately the common people feel the burden. This is not caused by one group alone. It is the result of systemic imbalance.


Why should a doctor feel guilt for valuing their time, expertise, and responsibility?

From an ethical standpoint, charging higher fees to those who can afford them is not exploitation—it can actually be a form of practical justice. This principle is known as cross-subsidization, and it quietly sustains healthcare systems around the world. When financially stronger patients pay more, it often enables doctors or institutions to:

  • Offer discounted or free care to the underprivileged
  • Maintain high-quality infrastructure
  • Invest in better technology and training
  • Ensure long-term sustainability of services

In this way, differential charging is not immoral—it can be socially responsible.

The key ethical boundary is intent.
If the motive is fairness and sustainability, it aligns with professional ethics.
If the motive becomes greed or unnecessary exploitation, it crosses the line.

 

Determining one's fees is not merely a financial decision—it is an affirmation of professional value. When doctors are forced to choose between service and survival, the system is already under strain...! A healthy healthcare ecosystem is one where:

  • Doctors can live with dignity
  • Patients can access affordable care
  • Institutions can operate sustainably

Homeopaths are as professional as any other professional in their area. We can save lives like our counterparts, but of course not in emergency rooms on war footing, but yes we not only respect that but we also guide our patients in right needed at that hour.  

 

If properly utilized, we as Homeopaths can save lakhs of rupees in terms of hospital bills and expensive diagnostic tests. Its just lack of proper knowledge about Homeopathy, and most people simply remain misguided about its true potential (credits to the Big Pharma..!). I truly hope the society understands the value of Homeopathic medicine and esp. preventive medicine in the coming future and the monumental role of Homeopathy in it. So respecting the worth of Homeopaths is not a privilege for them—it is indeed an investment in the well-being of society.



Note: This article is based on discussions with senior Homeopath Dr Rekha Karnam Srinivasan from Chennai, India.