A District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (DCDRC) in Odisha’s Sambalpur district has slapped a penalty of ₹78.66 lakh on two doctors and a nursing home for negligence in duty.
On November 8, 2017, one Sumit Dash met an accident between Sambalpur and Burla towns, and sustained multiple fractures involving his right leg, right foot and right hand. The following day, he was admitted to the V.S.S. Medical College Hospital, Burla.
One orthopaedic doctor told the accident victim that the operation would be possible in a government-run hospital after four days, whereas he [the doctor] could perform the operation in a private hospital on the following day. Going by this advice, Mr. Dash preferred the private nursing home over the government hospital.
The DCDRC noted, based on the treatment history, that when a revisional operation performed on the accident victim failed, the patient was compelled to move to a bigger private hospital in Visakhapatnam, where he spent ₹2.41 lakh.
During the operation, the treating doctors persuaded the victim to opt for a titanium implant instead of a steel implant. The DCDRC took strong exception to the advice, pointing out that a steel implant is usually preferred for young patients whereas the doctors had forced the victim to choose the costly option.
As the victim ran from one hospital to another for recovery, he could not join a job offered to him by an IT giant. The “wrong advice” cost him considerable time at the beginning of his career.
The DCDRC observed that due to deficiency in service, not only the victim, his family members too suffered turmoil and monetary losses.
Two doctors and private nursing homes were directed to pay ₹20 lakh each as compensation. They were also asked to pay ₹2.41 lakh towards medical expenses and ₹16.25 lakh towards loss of income suffered by the victim.
