Dr. Rita Mhaskar

An ex-colleague of mine recommended Dr. Rita Mhaskar as she had a successful delivery under her despite my colleague’s pregnancy being in the high risk zone. She was full of praises and said exactly the things about her that I’d want in my gynaec – patient listener, firm believer of non-intrusive treatment and one’s natural immunity, open minded and with a history of handling complex cases.

I was new in Bangalore and didn’t know another gynaec here so I booked an appointment with her at Mhaskar’s Srishti Clinic in Teacher’s Colony, Koramangala as it was close by to my place. The appointment scheduling works this way – each patient is given a 15-minutes slot and Dr. Mhaskar calls her name when she’s ready for the patient and cleared all the patients who had booked appointments before her. Fair in a way, but she repeat-calls patients who missed their time slots and in a way inconveniencing patients who arrive on time. So I was at the clinic on time yet waiting over half an hour because patients who missed their time slots got another chance to sneak in. And, yes, I was a little annoyed at the functionality of meeting her appointments.

However, much of that irritation disappeared when I met her. Her smile put it straight! I just informed her of my irregular menstrual symptoms, and she almost concluded it was a case of hypothyroidism combined with PCOD (Poly Cystic Ovarian Disorder). She prodded me for other symptoms that I was going through, and at the end of it all, she confirmed it’s what she suspected earlier. However, before putting me on any preventive medicines, she prescribed a few tests that had to be run through to reconfirm. We assumed the consultation was over and as my husband was about to get up and pull out his wallet from the back pocket, she looked over her glasses and said, “my consultation is Rs. 500”. We were thrown aback. Yes, we were about to pay and she could have most definitely avoided the conclusive statement after fathoming that were about to pay only! It would have been more befitting to the fame she had earned herself. Anyway, we paid the fees and walked out.

Test reports were in and it was confirmed what she suspected which means she was indeed a doctor above par but not a great marketer. Or, she cares more about her fees than treating her patients with a little more finesse.

That I quit consulting her and moved to Dr. Jaya Bhat is another story but a couple of years on, I recommended her to a friend of mine especially because Jaya Bhat would be off way for her. She came back to me saying, “Dr. Mhaskar is a great doc but don’t you think she cares a little more about her fees!”.

There you go! Dr. Mhaskar is a great examiner and doctor and I have been at the good receiving end of her treatment but I feel she could be a little less vocal about issues that belittle her. She’s a doctor of a far greater status to get bothered by such trivialities.

We are consulting Dr. Rita for our third child. * **** *** **** ***** *** ** *** **** ************ ** ********** Couple of things I have noted about her.

- She makes you very comfortable. You can discuss anything with her.

- She takes limited number of patients daily and spends enough time with each

- Very disciplined and keep your complete history in the card that she keeps for herself. We are undisciplined in fact :-)

- She gives a lot of flexibility and doesn't make a big deal about pregnancy by scaring you unnecessarily.

- Above all she knows what is important and what's not.

Was good. But expecting Dr should explain the reports clearly, because husband's might not have the knowledge why do we need to do double marking or any particular lab related. And need to check personally to what actual pain or simtums lady is facing during pregnancy. Many times felt in hurry consultation finish.