Kolkata: The West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission (WBCERC) has directed the Director of Health Services (DHS) to take action against the CMRI Hospital after serious allegations of engaging a private loan company have surfaced against it. The hospital engaged a loan company to lend out money to a patient who was unable to pay the hospital dues in full.
The WBCERC asked the DHS to take action against the hospital and inform the commission what step was taken against the hospital. The commission also informed the police to keep a tab on the hospital.
A 43-year-old man was admitted to the CMRI with epigastric pain. The patient was unable to pass tools for 4 days prior to his admission. He also complained about vomiting. The patient was under treatment at the hospital for 8 days following which the patients’ family members released him.
No surgery was conducted on the patient hence the hospital demanded a bill of Rs 4,90,000 out of which the patient paid Rs 3,40,000. As the patient’s family failed to pay the remaining amount of Rs 1,49,000, the hospital told the patient that a loan company has given the remaining amount and they will have to repay the loan. The WBCERC said that the hospital charged Rs 2,80,000 for medicine and consumables out of which Rs 1,72,000 charged for medicine only. The WBCERC asked the hospital to prepare a fresh bill. The hospital has also been told that the patient will not repay any loan to the money lending company. The WBCERC found discrepancies in the bills.
Incidentally, the WBCERC earlier had directed the state Health department to conduct a probe against Desun Hospital that had accommodated a private loan company within its premises to lend out money to patients who did not have funds to clear dues. Following the directives of the WBCERC, the Health department served the private hospital a show-cause notice. The WBCERC also directed the Kolkata and the Bidhannagar Police Commissioner to keep a tab on private hospitals to ensure they do not allow private loan companies to operate in their premises.