Dinesh Joshi had visited Dr Geeta Jindal with complaint of severe back pain. Due to continuation of pain, Dinesh was hospitalized following which has was billed Rs 36,450 for the treatment by Dr Jindal, including ICU charges of Rs 12,500 and several items used for surgery.

Dinesh got himself discharged, and then got admitted to Gokul Hospital. He underwent an operation there where in 600ml of pus was drained.

He went on to file a complaint against Dr Jindal with the Director General of Health Services, Haryana. A board was constituted to conduct a probe. The report came out in favor of the doctor, following which Dinesh approached the Panchkula district forum. Dr Jindal and the scanning center contested the case. The forum accepted the medical boards findings and acquitted Dr Jindal of negligence. However, it held the scan center liable for incorrectly reporting that the fluid collection was not significant.

The scan center and its insurer were jointly held liable to pay Rs 20,000, with 9% interest. Dinesh then approached the Haryana state commission. The order was up held and the appeal was dismissed. Dinesh filed a revision petition. The National Commission then noted that the medical board had not addressed the grievance with regard to in appropriate billing.

Dr Jindals medical record was also found not to match her statement in the pleadings before the consumer forum. The commission further noted that the civil surgeon had opined that surgical blade, gloves, micro set and other materials are used in surgery, and Dr Jindal had billed Dinesh for these items when no surgery was performed.

The commission noted that Dr Jindal had wrongly charged for ICU and had also charged for items that were not used. The commission concluded that there was medical negligence, and that Dr Jindal had inflated the bill. She was held liable to pay a compensation of Rs 3 lakh, with 9% interest… (ET Healthworld – TNN)

Source: ET Healthworld