He filed a case in consumer court against Inamdar Hospital alleging overcharging, negligence and causing pain
Did you ever feel the nurse didn’t bother while inserting that saline needle in your vein and caused pain? Did you ever feel the hospital that you were admitted to, charged you for unnecessary doctor visits and also slapped unnecessary pharmacy and pathology test charges? If the answers to these questions are yes, then read on.
NIBM Road resident Dr Gulam Mohammed Patel was admitted to the Inamdar Hospital in July 2012 after he suffered from loose motions. Patel recovered in due course, but filed a claim in the consumer court against the hospital stating he was not only overcharged, but also suffered an injury to the vein as the nursing staff didn’t pay much attention while inserting the saline needle.
Patel also pointed that the hospital had charged him Rs800 for the visit of a doctor even though he had recovered. He sought Rs1.83 lakh for compensation and the mental agony he faced.
The hospital agreed to the charges of overbilling in pharmacy and pathology tests and agreed to refund Rs1,856. But, through its written argument, the hospital contested Patel’s claim of ‘unethical’ charge of doctor’s visit as well as negligence by the nursing staff.
The Pune District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, presided over by VP Utpat and member Geeta S Ghatge, however, found merit in Patel’s case and agreed that the Rs800 fee charged for a doctor’s visit after the patient had recovered was unethical and asked the hospital to refund the same.
Moreover, they also agreed to Patel’s claim of negligence by the hospital nursing staff as Patel had produced evidence for treatment of injured vein by other doctors. While Patel’s claim of Rs90,000 was not accepted towards compensation, the forum asked the hospital to pay Rs10,000.
Patel had also sought another Rs90,000 as he had to suffer pain due to negligence. The forum agreed that the injury must have resulted in pain, but it could not determine exactly how much since there is no parameter to measure pain and agony. Thus, the forum has asked the hospital to pay another Rs10,000 for pain and agony caused to Dr Patel.
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