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Probe report reveals unethical acts carried out by Fortis

A seven-member committee headed by Dr Rajiv Vadhera, Additional Director General of Health Services, has submitted the report to Haryana state government

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A probe instituted by the Haryana state government in the alleged case of overcharging and medical negligence of baby Adya by Fortis Memorial Research Institute (FMRI) in Gurugram has led to scathing revelations of misconduct by the private hospital. DNA had first reported the story of the deceased baby on November 20.

A seven-member committee headed by Dr Rajiv Vadhera, Additional Director General of Health Services, has submitted the report to Haryana state government. DNA accessed a copy of the report which criticises FMRI at various levels.

It states that it is unethical to pull off life support from a patient who has sought Leave Against Medical Advice (LAMA) from the hospital. It also raises questions on forging the signatures of the parents on hospital documents and overpricing drugs and consumables.

The report notes that on September 14, there was a huge lapse in Adya's treatment. Life support was pulled off in the ambulance by Fortis doctors while she was being shifted to another hospital. It says that the withdrawal of life support by the hospital staff in the ambulance amounts to negligence and is against the law of the land. "LAMA does not mean that the hospital disowns the patient completely. They must ensure all facilities for transfer/transport them to their home or other hospitals," said the report.

Dr Jitendra Kumar Jakhar, forensic expert from Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak, was a part of the investigation committee. He observed, "It was unethical for the doctor to stop assisted ventilation without handing over the patient to another specialist or directing the relatives to ventilate the child by means of an ambu-bag."

The investigation committee has recommended that the case be sent to the Medical Council of India for action under (Professional conduct, etiquette, and ethics) Regulations 2002. "Under this all the senior doctors treating the case in PICU like Dr Krishna Chugh, Dr Vikas Taneja, Dr Vikas Verma, and others should be held accountable," the report states.

The report also raises serious questions on how the deceased's parents were not counselled. While Fortis maintains that the protocol of explaining seriousness to the parent/attendant and putting name and signature of both the doctor and the attendant to whom it was explained was seen in the case record of PICU, the report notes that except on September 12, none of these documents bear the signatures of the parents.

"Further, it was noticed that the entire patient record was being maintained on loose sheets and no proper files with page marking were maintained," it states. "This protocol should not have been ignored in an NABH accredited hospital like FMRI."

The hospital said that while it purchased drugs for Rs 3,33,044, it charged the patient Rs 6,70,126 and took a whopping 108 per cent profit margin. The report noted, "Hospital management looks to be attempting to get maximum profit out of drugs and consumables in the garb of MRP."

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