A job advertisement circulating across LinkedIn and X has sparked widespread debate after it offered MBBS-qualified doctors a remuneration of ₹15 per completed audio consultation, with a workload of 20 consultations per hour. The advertisement, titled “Prescription Validation”, carried the name of Patnam Rakesh, an Assistant HR Manager at Apollo Hospitals, according to his publicly available LinkedIn profile.
The document shared online listed specific requirements:
MBBS with valid MCI registration
Audio-only teleconsultation
Average duration of 2 minutes per consultation
Minimum four-hour shifts
Mandatory morning shift from 6:40 am to 9:00 am, and optional later shifts
Languages: Telugu, Hindi, English
System requirements: Laptop, WiFi and power backup
It also detailed multiple penalties and deductions, including:
₹125 deduction for consultation not started
₹125 deduction for empty prescription submitted
₹125 deduction for consultation transferred
₹15 deduction for not following the PNR protocol
The advertisement stated: “₹15 per successfully completed consultation” and included a number for onboarding. A similar job description was posted on LinkedIn by Dr. Pranay Agarwal, inviting applications for the same role under the title “Apollo TeleHealth is Hiring! Part-Time Doctors”.
Apollo TeleHealth publicly responded to Dr Agarwal’s post, stating that the advertisement was not authorised by the organisation. The company commented:
“Please note that this post was not authorised by Apollo TeleHealth or Apollo Hospitals, and must be taken down immediately. Misrepresenting our brand and operations is a serious matter.”
In a second comment directed at a doctor who questioned the quality of a two-minute consultation, the company wrote:
“The hiring post is unauthorised and was not issued by Apollo TeleHealth. Consultation duration depends entirely on the type and complexity of the medical case being addressed. Quality of care is never compromised. At Apollo TeleHealth, we strongly uphold pay parity across all roles and functions.”
No official detailed statement or press release has been issued beyond these comments. A review of Apollo TeleHealth’s official careers page does not show any current opening matching the description in the viral posting.
Screenshots of the job document went viral across platforms including X, Reddit, Instagram and LinkedIn. Several doctors raised concerns about the viability of two-minute audio consultations and the potential clinical risks.
Questions circulating in the medical community include:
Whether two minutes are sufficient to ensure safe history taking and prescription verification
How liability would be assigned in case of inadequate assessment
Whether the remuneration aligns with clinical responsibility
Whether high-volume, low-duration consultations can meet telemedicine norms
Some commenters described the setup as resembling call-centre metrics rather than medical practice. The penalties listed in the job document also raised concern, particularly the ₹125 deduction for interactions that could not be completed.
Social media commentary, especially among medical-students and early-career doctors, conveyed concern regarding the model described in the job posting. One Reddit user summarised:
“Apollo TeleHealth is offering ₹15 per consultation. I didn’t know MBBS qualified us to be a discounted astrologers.”
The job document exists, and multiple authenticated LinkedIn and X posts shared identical copies.
The signatory listed in the job document, Patnam Rakesh, is verified as an Assistant HR Manager at Apollo according to his LinkedIn page.
Apollo TeleHealth has officially stated that the job posting is unauthorised.
The organisation has not clarified whether an inquiry has been initiated nor whether similar internal recruitment processes exist.
No regulatory authority, including the National Medical Commission, has issued any statement so far.
There is no confirmation that any candidates were onboarded under the terms described.
Telemedicine in India allows digital consultations under the Telemedicine Practice Guidelines issued in 2020. These guidelines state that doctors must ensure adequate medical information is obtained before providing prescriptions, and that documentation must be clear and complete.
A two-minute audio call raises questions about compliance with:
Detailed history taking
Clinical decision-making framework
Documentation and liability
Safe prescribing practices
The debate highlights the challenges of balancing accessibility with quality, particularly as tele-health expands rapidly across the country.
The controversy has drawn attention to compensation, workload expectations and clinical quality standards in remote healthcare services. While Apollo TeleHealth has denied authorising the advertisement, the incident underscores the need for transparent and verified recruitment processes, especially in digital healthcare models that directly impact patient safety and doctor welfare.
(Rh/MSM)
