Woodlands Hospital fined for negligence
Kolkata: The West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission (WBCERC) has imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh on Woodlands Hospital for medical negligence in which two women died on July 12 and 13 2019, in separate incidents after they had delivered babies.
After conducting a thorough investigation, some negligence on the part of the hospital was found, hence its authorities have been asked to pay the compensation to the family members of the two victims within a week. The WBCERC has prepared a 74-page order in connection with the two cases.
WBCERC Chairperson Justice Ashim Kumar Banerjee (retired) during a media interaction on Monday said that no serious lapses were found on the part of the two gynecologists who treated the patients at the hospital. However, there were some lapses by the hospital. In case of Poulami Bhattacharya, one of two victims, no medical records were produced by the hospital between 12 am and 3 am on July 12 in 2019. The woman later died in the hospital.
In case of the second victim it was a planned surgery and there was no urgency. The surgery could be postponed. But the patient party was not given any opportunity. The death review committee did not hold any meeting. The hospital did not show enough promptness to hand over the sample of the fluid used for the patient. There may be a problem with the fluid. The hospital authorities have been instructed to pay Rs 5 lakh in case of the first victim while Rs 2.5 lakh should be given by the hospital for the twin babies delivered by the second woman before her death, Banerjee said.
WBCERC Chairperson also said that they received seven complaints against private hospitals most of which talks about overcharging in the name of PPE and
doctor change. In one case the commission found that the hospital charged the patient Rs 250 for each thermal scanning. The price is too high as the doctor did not wear proper PPE. The hospital has been asked to pay back the amount which was taken in excess of Rs 50. CCTV footage has been sought from another private hospital in Salt Lake after it has been alleged that a bouncer drove away a COVID patient from the hospital.
