Doctors hands-in-glove with lab technicians, fleece patients

As if lab technicians playing with lives of patients were not enough, qualified doctors too have their hands in the racket of issuing erroneously signed diagnostic reports to unsuspecting patients.
dna has access to investigation reports from diagnostic centres across the city including Borivli, Kandivli, Navi Mumbai, Thane and also in Raigad district, which bear the name of a pathologist, Dr SN Tripathi. Dr Tripathi is a consultant MD pathologist and blood transfusion officer attached to the BMC-run, Sion Hospital.

Dna has copies of six diagnostic reports that endorse Tripathi as their qualified pathologist, who signs the investigation reports. However, surprisingly, each report bears a different signature under his name.

Dr Tripathi is attached to six laboratories located at Navi Mumbai, Panvel and Khalapur. Interestingly, his signature varies in all the reports. In each report, it is apparent that a different person has signed on Dr Tripathi's behalf.

On contacting Dr Tripathi, he said, "I am a qualified pathologist. I am allowed to conduct private practice after finishing work. I am attached to over six laboratories. However, I don't visit these labs every day. I go once in two or three days. At times, laboratory technicians refer and discuss reports with us over the phone and sometimes they sign the reports on my behalf."

"Many qualified pathologists allow laboratories to use their name and manual or electronic signature for money. They never visit these laboratories. They just collect the money every month for using their name. It is a flourishing racket," said Dr Rajesh Mane, secretary, Maharashtra Association of Practicing Pathologists and Microbiologists (MAPPM).

"Only a medical practitioner with specialisation in pathology and registered with a medical council, should be allowed to run a pathology laboratory and certify the reports. The Bombay high court orders passed in 2005, made this very clear. Yet, doctors openly flout these norms and let lab technicians sign reports on their behalf," said Dr Jagadeesh Keskar, executive council member, MAPP.

According to a civic resolution passed by the BMC in 2004, a BMC doctor can be attached to only one private health set up apart from serving in the BMC hospital. "The rules state that the doctor cannot do private practice in more than one set up outside the BMC hospital working hours. The rules have been formulated to curb doctors from practicing at different places as it so happens that doctors shun working in BMC hospitals. At times, they conduct private practice during BMC working hours. We are closely scrutinising and maintaining a strict vigil on such malpractices," said Dr Avinash Supe, dean, Sion Hospital.

Also read: Maharshtra govt expresses helplessness in cracking down on errant lab technicians