The West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission on Thursday asked three officials, including two doctors, of Medica Superspecialty Hospital to submit a written apology to the family of an elderly woman who had to be re-admitted to the hospital within a few hours of her discharge.
The woman’s husband alleged that the hospital officials did not respond to his phone calls or WhatsApp messages after he found that his wife was running a temperature on their way home in an ambulance.
The woman died a few days later. Her family alleged that her death was caused by an infection that she had acquired during her stay at Medica. Taking cognisance of the complaint, the commission asked the hospital to boost up their infection control mechanism.
Complainant Anjan Mukherjee had admitted his wife at Medica Superspecialty Hospital in September last year. She was discharged after being declared “hemodynamically stable” on October 6, said retired judge Ashim Banerjee, the commission’s chairperson.
“When they were returning home in an ambulance, he found that his wife had a high fever. He alleged that he tried to contact three hospital officials, including two doctors, but they neither took his calls nor responded to his WhatsApp messages. The patient had to be readmitted (to Medica),” he said.
The woman was later shifted to another private hospital along the Bypass where she passed away on October 18.
Hospital officials said that since it was Covid time, the officials concerned were busy and could respond much later.
“We did not find the response satisfactory and directed the three to tender a written apology to the family,” Banerjee said.
Asked for a reaction, a senior Medica official said: “We are unable to reach the legal department at this hour.”