Telangana: Global Hospitals told to pay compensation to patient's kin

Hyderabad: After the episode of Mr Nikhil Reddy’s height surgery going wrong, city-based Global Hospitals is in the news again.

The Telangana State Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has asked Global Hospitals to pay Rs 18 lakh as compensation to a patient’s family after a heart surgery led to brain hemorrhage and ultimately death.

The forum has found that there was improper supply of oxygen to the patient, which amounted to negligence and deficiency in service on the part of the hospital.

In the same complaint, a case against Dr Alla Gopala Krishna Gokhale, noted cardiac surgeon who supervised the team of doctors who performed the surgery, was dismissed stating that there was no privity of contract about hiring Dr Gokhale’s service and the hospital was liable for the payment of compensation and not the individual doctor.

The complaint was filed by Ms P. Manjula, wife of the deceased patient P. Uma Maheswara Rao, and their sons, residents of Mangalvarapeta in Rajahmundry, against Global Hospital’s administrative officer and Dr Gokhale.

After the final hearing on November 4, the TS consumer forum passed its order in which it observed that the hospital had failed to give any explanation about the clotting of blood in the deceased’s brain.

“It is the duty of the anesthesiologist during the course of surgery to watch and ascertain proper supply of blood and oxygen to the brain,” the victim’s family alleged in the complaint.

Maheshwara Rao was an employee of the judicial department at Rajahmundry and was drawing a salary of Rs 27,000 per month.

On June 3, 2009, he had visited a hospital at Rajahmundry following a heart stroke and was advised a bypass surgery. After a second opinion from a hospital in Ban-jara Hills, he was refer-red to Global Hospitals, his family said..

“On June 24, 2009 the bypass surgery was conducted. The hospital didn’t allow us to see the patient the same day, and allowed us to have just a glimpse of him on the 25th. He was lying without any movement and was on ventilator. Dr Gokhale revealed that there must have been disruption in the supply of oxygen to the brain due to which there could be clotting of blood in the brain leading to coma. He remained unconscious for a month.”

The patient had paid Rs 3.4 lakh and later a bill of Rs 2.72-lakh dues was given to the family. He was declared clinically dead after being taken to a Rajahmundry hospital and on July 30 he was declared dead.

The complainant alleged, “The failure of brain functioning and the resultant death of the patient was the handiwork of Dr Gokhale and his associates who were expected to keep the supply of oxygen to the brain intact and to keep a vigil during the course of the surgery.”

Refuting the allegations, Global Hospitals said, “The surgery was performed after taking consent of the patient and his wife for giving anaesthesia too. We provided appropriate treatment to the patient, and the doctors and the associated team discharged their duties towards the patient and did not commit any breach of duty of care. There was no negligence in performing surgery and it did not have any significant effect. Before surgery, the patient and the attendant were explained about the complications. They supplied sufficient oxygen and they have not concealed any aspect.”

“The condition of the patient was informed to the attendants daily in the morning and even-ings. The family members wanted to take the patient to their hometown for further management and requested for discharge, which was heeded to. On the request of family members, we discharged the patient by explaining the risk and prognosis. After shifting the patient to their home town, he died,” the hospital claimed.