The West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission on Thursday imposed a penalty of Rs 50,000 on Woodlands Hospital for not listening to a man who was complaining of a burning sensation during an MRI at the hospital.
Ashim Kumar Banerjee, the commission's chairperson, said that the man undergoing the test rang the SOS bell thrice. “He complained about a burning sensation, but the attendant did not give due importance,” he said. Before the test started, staff from the hospital showed the man the bell and asked him to call them in case of any requirement.
On the first two occasions, an attendant came and told the man that the test would get over in some time, he said. However, the attendant did not do anything to alleviate the man’s suffering.
“No one came when he rang the bell the third time. When the test ended, the man found that blisters had developed near his calf,” Banerjee said.
It was then that officials in the hospital took the man to the hospital’s emergency. “He was advised admission under a plastic surgeon but he declined to get admitted,” said Banerjee.
The man went to do the MRI after a doctor advised him the test because he had sustained an injury while playing football.
The commission had first heard the complaint on October 4 but reserved its judgment, which was delivered on Thursday. Banerjee said the commission heard both the technician as well as officials of Woodlands. “We felt that the technician should have been more cautious. He was not aware of the protocol. He could have sought help from his senior. We have fined the hospital Rs 50,000,” he said.
Banerjee added that the man was still suffering from the problem and the commission had instructed Woodlands that if the man goes to Woodlands for the treatment of blisters, the hospital must not charge anything for it.
An official of Woodlands declined to comment on the order.
“We are awaiting a written order,” said the official.
The commission on Thursday also asked Kolkata Medical Centre and Hospital in Narkeldanga to return Rs 1.93 lakh to a patient.
The hospital took the money from the patient despite admitting him under Swasthya Sathi scheme.
Banerjee said no hospital was allowed to separately charge a patient if they admitted the patient under the health scheme.
“The patient was admitted to the hospital for orthopaedic surgery after a fall. The hospital took the Swasthya Sathi card and also blocked it. Simultaneously, they also took Rs 1.93 lakh from the patient,” said Banerjee.
The commission has asked Kolkata Medical Centre and Hospital to return Rs 1.93 lakh to the patient in four installments.
The hospital told the commission that the patient underwent two surgeries, one in the waist and another in the leg.
“They said that one of the surgeries was done under Swasthya Sathi scheme and another was done with the money they took from
the patient. This cannot be done and we have asked them to return the money taken from the patient party,” said the commission’s chairperson.
Rana Mondal, assistant manager of the hospital, said that the hospital “will follow the order issued by the commission”.