Pune: Lack Of Complaint Redressal Rooms, Treatment Tariff In Hospitals Cause Inconvenience To Patients – Reveals Survey
Pune, 20th January 2023: An inspection has revealed that the municipal corporation hospitals as well as private hospitals are not implementing the provisions of patient welfare even though they are made mandatory by law. If there is any doubt or complaint about the additional rate and service of the hospital, the question of where the patient should go to complain remains unanswered even after two years after the provision of the law.
According to the Maharashtra Nursing Home Registration Act, every private and government hospital must display the information of the ‘Patient’s Rights Charter’, ‘Tariff Sheet’ and ‘Grievance Redressal Room’ for patients on the facade. A study was conducted on behalf of the ‘Patient Rights Campaign’ and ‘Saathi’ Pune to verify whether this is being implemented.
Between October 2022 and December 2022, a total of 40 private hospitals in the jurisdiction of the Pune Municipal Corporation were inspected. In it, a serious matter came to light that despite the knowledge of patient welfare provisions from private hospitals, they are not being implemented.
The findings of the inspection were presented at the Patient Rights Council on Friday (20th January). On this occasion, the representative of the Municipal Corporation, Dr Manisha Naik, a Public Health Expert, Dr Abhay Shukla, Secretary of the Hospital Association, Manjusha Kulkarni, Dr Kishore Khilare, Kajal Jain of Masoom Sanstha, and Dr Dhananjaya Kaka was present. Vinod Shende and Shakuntala Bhalerao gave information about the findings of the inspection. The introduction was done by Deepak Jadhav.
Key Findings of the Inspection:
1) Out of 40 hospitals inspected, 39 hospitals are informed that patient rights have been implemented by the state and central governments, while all 40 hospitals are required to display the tariff.
2) But, only two hospitals have implemented the complete patient rights charter given by the government, while only three hospitals have implemented 15 types of tariffs as per the law.
3) Out of 40 hospitals inspected, only two hospitals have implemented the full Patient Rights Charter issued by the Government of India or the State Government.
4) 30 Even though hospitals have a patient rights charter like NABH, it is not in line with the government mandate and is inadequate.
5) 25 hospitals under the inspection have only prescribed rates for bed/ward charges and laboratory tests without prescribing 15 types of rates as per law.
6) 12 hospitals under inspection have not displayed any kind of tariff and eight hospitals have not displayed any kind of patient rights charter.
7) 34 inspected hospitals said that they have not received any information from the Municipal Corporation regarding the display of tariffs.
Dr Kulkarni said, “There is no reason to do anything wrong in that every hospital should put up a patient rights charter and tariff. From here on, we will consider keeping the criteria whether the hospital has imposed a tariff, charter or not to become a member of the association.
Dr Khilare said it is a transparent matter to put up the fee schedule and patient rights charter in the hospital. So the patient will know about these rates. Billing at a reasonable rate is a patient’s right. By this, the conflict between doctor and patient can be avoided.”
“Presently, the Grievance Redressal Cell has been established in the Licensing Department due to a lack of space in the Health Department. The room and toll-free number will be operational in the next fifteen days. In the first phase, we will examine what complaints are coming. If there is a need to appoint a medical officer to resolve it, we will think about it further,” said Dr Naik.
“Different hospitals have different rates. Since it is a business, profit will be earned but the government should decide how much percentage should be earned. During the Kovid period, the government showed by controlling the rates. Apart from that, the government can also control the rate for a while. The current rate sheet mentions inbuilt charges, but if it is controlled, the patients will save 30 to 40 per cent of the bills,” said Dr Siddharth Dhende.
The Medical Officer of the Municipal Corporation should establish a Grievance Redressal Cell as a ‘Local Supervisory Authority’. After the establishment of the Grievance Redressal Cell, Municipal Corporation is required by law to display detailed information, including the toll-free number of the cell in all hospitals. After inquiring with the municipality about this, the municipal administration says that a grievance redressal cell and an officer have been appointed, but it is only on paper and is of no use.
Under the Maharashtra Nursing Home Registration Act and the Patient Rights Code, the municipal administration has the power to take action against the concerned hospital if the rate sheet is not displayed prominently on the main facade of the hospital. The conference demanded that the registration of hospitals which do not implement this law should be suspended.
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