Consumer forum awards Rs 4.7 lakh compensation
The hospital did not permit any family member to see his mother in the ICU.
Chennai: The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Chennai directed a hospital in Coimbatore to pay a compensation of Rs 4.70 lakh to family members of a woman who died following wrong treatment.
The bench comprising its presiding judicial member, J. Jayaram and member P. Bakiyavathi has also set aside the order of the District Consumer Forum, which dismissed the petition filed by her son P. Balasubramaniam, Navakkarai, Coimbatore.
According to him, his mother, Thulasiammal was rushed to Sree Abirami Hospital Private Ltd after she developed stomach pain on June 11, 2006. Hospital Managing Director, Dr. P. Periyaswamy, after examining her, admitted her in ICU and informed him that surgery had to be performed along with other medical treatments.
However, the MD refused to reveal any details about her health problems faced and details of treatment accorded to her.
The hospital did not permit any family member to see his mother in the ICU. She was kept in the hospital without performing surgery. On June 13, 2006, as her condition became serious, he shifted her to Kovai Medical Center and Hospital, Coimbatore.
She underwent treatment at KMCH Hospital from June 13 to 22, 2006 and she died on June 22. He said his mother would have survived if proper treatment was given by diagnosing correctly at the initial stage itself in Sree Abirami Hospital. Denying the allegations, Sree Abirami Hospital stated that she was admitted in ICU for abdominal pain, vomiting and fever. The patient’s relatives were informed of her condition.
As the woman was seriously ill, the hospital adopted only a procedure to remove the contaminated fluid present in the abdomen through a hole in the intestine. She was shifted to another hospital on June 13 by the complainant, where she died after 10 to 15 days after the surgery.
Holding that there was no negligence or deficiency in service on the part of Sree Abirami Hospital the Coimbatore District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum dismissed his complaint on June 17, 2009. Aggrieved over this, the current appeal was filed.
The bench said the hospital management admitted that they could not take a definitive line of treatment. The hospital kept the complainant in the dark without providing any information about the health of patient and no proper discharge summary provided to the complainant, which amounts to deficiency in service.