3 min readChandigarhApr 28, 2015 03:30 AM IST
First published on: Apr 28, 2015 at 03:30 AM IST
(Illustration: Pradeep Yadav)
By: Kartik Kumar
For failing to treat a 96-year-old woman for bedsores and preventing infections acquired during treatment, the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has ordered Fortis Hospital, Mohali, to pay Rs 10 lakh for “medical negligence and deficiency in service”.
Mohinder Kaur, a resident of Sector 40, Chandigarh, and the mother of complainants Manmohan Singh, Davinder Singh and Dr Pritpaul Singh, was admitted to the hospital on July 30, 2010. She remained there up to September 13, 2010, following complaints of dehydration and reduced oral intake.
The patient’s family alleged that owing to failure of the hospital as well as the staff in providing her proper medical care, she developed bedsores as well as other infections. She died on September 14, 2010, after being discharged from the hospital.
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The complainants alleged that after the discharge, the medical record of the patient was not supplied, even after filing an RTI application. Getting no satisfactory response to their representations, the complainants moved the consumer commission.
Fortis, in its reply to the commission, alleged that before performing any major or minor surgery, the consent of the patient was taken. The detailed information was given to the patient’s family with regard to the prognosis. The patient was bed-ridden prior to admission. Therefore, she was at high risk of developing bedsores. There was no deficiency in service on their part and the patient was treated according to standard medical practice with due care and caution.
In an order on October 1, 2014, the Punjab State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission had held Fortis liable for deficiency in service and causing medical negligence. The hospital then filed an appeal in the national commission.
On the day of the hearing, the commission, presided over by J M Malik, noted “bedsores are a growing issue facing immobile and elderly patients of hospitals across the country. The hospital staff owes heightened duty of care to such patients, by taking reasonable steps to prevent the incidence of bedsores. Liability for such bedsores and injuries is established when hospital nursing staff fail to properly treat and manage bed-ridden patient”.
“The State Commission has awarded the complainants with enough compensation and the decision is upheld,” the bench added.
Fortis was thus ordered by the commission to pay Rs 10 lakh in compensation within a period of 45 days at 9 per cent interest.
(Illustration: Pradeep Yadav)
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