Mumbai: A district consumer commission has directed a doctor and Jaslok hospital to reimburse Rs 4.5 lakhs incurred towards hospitalisation expenses and Rs 75,000 towards mental agony and litigation cost to a Peddar Road resident for wrong and unnecessary treatment that caused him physical and mental suffering.
The order date January 21, 2023 and uploaded recently was passed by Sneha Mhatre, president and D S Paradkar, member of the South Mumbai District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission on a complaint by Peddar Road resident Rabindranath Pal against Dr. Suresh Rang and Jaslok Hospital.
Man with heart condition wrongly treated for TB
Pal in June 2012 had visited Jaslok Hospital after suffering from fever with chills, cough, blood tinged Sputum, epigastric burning and nausea from 3-4 days. Pal was attended by a lady doctor in casualty ward of Jaslok Hospital who instructed him to do x-ray and blood test. After seeing x-ray, she sent him to Doctor Suresh V. Rang (Lung Specialist) in the same Hospital after which treatment was started.
Dr. Rang told him that looking at test results he needed to be hospitalised and treated for TB. During the month-long treatment, Pal was put into an ICU and ventilator too. However, it was only after he took a second opinion from another doctor. The other doctor suggested a Cardiologist and Pal was treated for a heart problem.
Pal then filed a complaint stating that he was wrongly treated and reports were not given to him on time, consent was not taken before administering steroids which further created problems. He spent Rs 8.10 lakh for treatment of which Rs 3.6 lakh was given through insurance claim. He sought the remaining amount with interest.
Wrong and unnecessary tests and treatments
The opposite parties rejected the allegations and said that there were other doctors involved who were not part of the case. They asked that the complaint be dismissed with cost as it was filed to extract money and that some medicines were given for heart treatment too.
During the hearing, the commission observed that due to the wrong and unnecessary tests and treatments, the complainant suffered physically as well as mentally during the hospitalization. It said that it is the right of the patient to know about his/her illness, diagnosis and treatment undergone by him from time to time during the hospitalization and that "question arises" why the Opposite Parties treated the Complainant for T.B. for 7 days? It also stated that contradictory statements were made by the opposite parties when it came to treating heart problem.
The commission stated that "the Opposite Parties have hurriedly and without confirming about the exact diagnosis of T.B. and prior to conducting necessary test of T.B., treated the Complainant for the T.B. and also used some steroids without consent of the relatives of the patient due to which the Complainant’s condition became critical and he was put twice on ventilator i.e. on 18/07/2012 and from 29/07/2012 to 01/08/2012. This amounts to deficiency in service." It directed both the doctor and hospital to comply with the order in 45 days.
