A district consumer disputes redressal forum in the Capital has held St. Stephen’s Hospital guilty of medical negligence and has directed it to compensate a patient over ₹1 lakh.
In an order passed on March 14, the forum said: “The hospital was negligent in administering treatment to the complainant and she needs to be compensated.”
Complainant Hamida Khatoon had alleged that she had approached the hospital with pain in her abdomen and a burning sensation in the back.
She alleged that after a gall bladder surgery, “she was arbitrarily discharged from the hospital despite explicit protest from the attendants of the complainant as there was quick pus formation and the complainant was required to be kept under regular observation of a doctor”.
‘Failed to take precaution’
“The doctors at the hospital failed to take precautionary measures prior to and during surgery and also did not take post-operative care,” read the complaint.
An expert medical opinion submitted by the medical superintendent of Hindu Rao Hospital, however, stated that the hospital was justified in its treatment.
While maintaining that the procedures undertaken by the doctors were “judicious”, the forum stated: “It is evident that the concerned doctor had gravely erred while issuing instructions to the complainant”.
The forum noted that not enough measures were taken to tackle the diabetic patient, which resulted in an infection around the surgical site.
Directing the hospital to compensate the patient within 45 days, the forum said, “The unwarranted discharge of the complainant by the hospital in utter disregard of her diabetic status was the sole cause of her surgical site wound infection and the expert panel cannot put a veil on the negligence of the doctors.”
