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BS RAWAT 26/9/2013
On August 23, 2013, Saket City Hospital published an advertisement in a leading newspaper with pictures of six doctors from its department of
pulmonology and critical care under a heading “Breathe Easy...with our renowned team...” A text section below the photographs of Dr R K Mani, Dr Prashant Saxena, Dr Ritesh Aggarwal, Dr Sanjay Sharma, Dr Leelawati Thakur and Dr Gargi Maitra added that the “expert” team “has created an ensemble for achieving excellence”, and “the experienced and renowned team of experts strive to deliver the best standards”.
After receiving the complaint, the Delhi Medical Council (DMC) has directed the hospital to withdraw advertisement issued in an English newspaper naming hospital specialists along with photographs. The hospital was also told to publish a corrigendum in the same ad space and size in the same daily.
The council gave notice reiterating the code of conduct rules of 2002 for doctors, which prohibit “soliciting patients directly or indirectly”, by any physician or institution.
DMC secretary Dr Girish Tyagi said, “Self-publicity and promotion of doctors, with names or photographs, to invite patients is prohibited in the code of medical ethics in the Indian Medical Council Regulations of 2002. We received a complaint about the Saket City Hospital advertisement, so we issued a notice to it.”
The hospital gave an explanation, which the DMC did not find satisfactory. So the council issued a letter asking the hospital to withdraw the advertisement. The hospital did so and published a corrigendum on September 24, 2013.
On August 23, 2013, Saket City Hospital published an advertisement in a leading newspaper with pictures of six doctors from its department of
pulmonology and critical care under a heading “Breathe Easy...with our renowned team...” A text section below the photographs of Dr R K Mani, Dr Prashant Saxena, Dr Ritesh Aggarwal, Dr Sanjay Sharma, Dr Leelawati Thakur and Dr Gargi Maitra added that the “expert” team “has created an ensemble for achieving excellence”, and “the experienced and renowned team of experts strive to deliver the best standards”.
After receiving the complaint, the Delhi Medical Council (DMC) has directed the hospital to withdraw advertisement issued in an English newspaper naming hospital specialists along with photographs. The hospital was also told to publish a corrigendum in the same ad space and size in the same daily.
The council gave notice reiterating the code of conduct rules of 2002 for doctors, which prohibit “soliciting patients directly or indirectly”, by any physician or institution.
DMC secretary Dr Girish Tyagi said, “Self-publicity and promotion of doctors, with names or photographs, to invite patients is prohibited in the code of medical ethics in the Indian Medical Council Regulations of 2002. We received a complaint about the Saket City Hospital advertisement, so we issued a notice to it.”
The hospital gave an explanation, which the DMC did not find satisfactory. So the council issued a letter asking the hospital to withdraw the advertisement. The hospital did so and published a corrigendum on September 24, 2013.
Saket city hospital is worst hospital for the Dental treatment. We went there for Senior doctor treatment but Cheated with inexperience doctor. They don't care for patient problem. They just drill the tooth and dont know its effect . Please, Please, Please don't go there I am sufferer of Dr. Ajay Sharma worst treatment.
Suspension for Dental for CGHS should be continue. So at least CGHS patient should not sufferer.
Dear Sir/Ma'am,
Today, I had a terrible experience at the Saket City Hospital's Emergency facility. It being a Sunday, the hospital's OPD facility was not available. The duty doctor at the Emergency facility tricked me into taking a very expensive Dengue Test despite my repeated telling that I had no symptoms associated with the dengue fever. All I had was body-ache and mild fever. The hospital staff made me lie on a bed for more than half an hour for no rhyme or reason. After a considerable wait an attendant finally came to note down my pulse, bp, and temperature. And even though my temperature came out to be normal (around 98 degrees), the duty doctor insisted that the dengue test must be done. In the meantime, one of the staff members filled my papers (while still not allowing me to get up from the bed... insisting that I must take rest, again to my amusement).
At last I forced my way to the reception in great frustration wherein the cashier told me that my bill (tests as well as consultation fees) totaled around INR 5500. Obviously, I got the shock of my life. When, I looked at the bill I noticed that the Dengue Test alone cost me more than INR 3000. When I objected the cashier told me that everything has already been processed and it can't be undone. He asked me to pay the amount through card or cash. I wasn't left with any option but to comply. However, the entire episode shook me badly. It also showed me the dark side of the medical profession in a developing county like ours. I wondered how these big private hospitals would trick poor and illiterate patients when they could easily bilk an educated youth like myself. I left the hospital premises feeling cheated and utterly disappointed and frustrated at the same time.
I sincerely hope that the concerned government departments/ministries come up with stringent guidelines and transparent complaint channels so as to keep as check on such manipulative practices in private hospitals in India.
Thanks & Regards,
Murtaza Ali
(murtaza.[protected]@gmail.com)
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Today, I had a terrible experience at the Saket City Hospital's Emergency facility. It being a Sunday, the hospital's OPD facility was not available. The duty doctor at the Emergency facility tricked me into taking a very expensive Dengue Test despite my repeated telling that I had no symptoms associated with the dengue fever. All I had was body-ache and mild fever. The hospital staff made me lie on a bed for more than half an hour for no rhyme or reason. After a considerable wait an attendant finally came to note down my pulse, bp, and temperature. And even though my temperature came out to be normal (around 98 degrees), the duty doctor insisted that the dengue test must be done. In the meantime, one of the staff members filled my papers (while still not allowing me to get up from the bed... insisting that I must take rest, again to my amusement).
At last I forced my way to the reception in great frustration wherein the cashier told me that my bill (tests as well as consultation fees) totaled around INR 5500. Obviously, I got the shock of my life. When, I looked at the bill I noticed that the Dengue Test alone cost me more than INR 3000. When I objected the cashier told me that everything has already been processed and it can't be undone. He asked me to pay the amount through card or cash. I wasn't left with any option but to comply. However, the entire episode shook me badly. It also showed me the dark side of the medical profession in a developing county like ours. I wondered how these big private hospitals would trick poor and illiterate patients when they could easily bilk an educated youth like myself. I left the hospital premises feeling cheated and utterly disappointed and frustrated at the same time.
I sincerely hope that the concerned government departments/ministries come up with stringent guidelines and transparent complaint channels so as to keep as check on such manipulative practices in private hospitals in India.
Thanks & Regards,
Murtaza Ali
(murtaza.[protected]@gmail.com)
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
Department of Health & Family Welfare
Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi
CGHS Division
No. S-11030/4/2013-CGHS (P)
Dated the 13th September, 2013
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Sub: Suspension of empanelment of 'Saket City Hospital, New Delhi' from the list of Hospitals / Centres empanelled under CGHS - reg.
The undersigned is directed to state that CGHS has empanelled private hospitals in various CGHS covered cities to provide inpatient healthcare facilities to its beneficiaries. Empanelment of the private hospitals is done under a contractual agreement between the Government of India and the private hospital on mutually agreed terms and conditions.
2. This Ministry has received a number of complaints against Saket City Hospital (formerly- Gujar Mal Modi Hospital & Research Centre), Saket, New Delhi regarding deficiency in services ranging from denial of credit facilities and over charging to illtreatment, harassment and rude behavior by staff/doctors to CGHS beneficiaries. The issues raised by the beneficiaries have been viewed seriously by this Ministry as it tantamount to violation of the terms and conditions of empanelment as laid down in the 'Memorandum of Agreement'.
3. A 'Show Cause Notice' was issued to Saket City Hospital seeking clarifications on the grievances raised by the beneficiaries. However, the reply received from Saket City Hospital has not been found satisfactory.
4. It has, therefore been decided to suspend the CGHS empanelment of Saket City Hospital, New Delhi with immediate effect, for a period of one year or till further orders whichever is earlier. The hospital shall no longer be a part of the list of empanelled hospitals/centers for any purposes under CGHS. Patients already admitted prior to the issue of this OM, shall be provided treatment and discharged within seven days from the date of issue of this OM. However, in respect of the patients who remain admitted beyond seven days, their bills would be accepted only on submission of the proper justification for stay.
5. This OM shall be effective from the date of its issue.
sd/-
(V.P.Singh)
Deputy Secretary to the Government of India
Source: http://msotransparent.nic.in/cghsnew/index.asp
[http://msotransparent.nic.in/writereaddata/cghsdata/mainlinkfile/File638.pdf]