The patient was taken to a hospital where he was diagnosed with cardiovascular and renal ailments. The doctor treated him on an OPD basis. Medicines were prescribed, but to no avail.
After six days, the patient was again taken to the hospital. This time he was diagnosed with lung infection. The doctor yet again prescribed medicines but it did not alleviate patient’s problems.
Eventually, he was taken to a national hospital where the doctor prescribed insulin. After fifteen days the patient was found lifeless by his son. He was rushed to another hospital where he was declared dead.
The patient’s son sued the doctor and first hospital. He made several allegations, but his main grouse was that instead of doctor, his assistant – who was not a competent healthcare provider – prescribed medicines. He also claimed that his father was rushed in the car because of emergency, and the doctor without checking declared him dead!
The Commission went through perfectly prepared and maintained medical records, and rejected claims, observing that:
“From records it is clear that the treatment was meted out by the doctor. The clinical assistant had only written the medicines under doctor’s direct supervision. Not only this but also the statements show that the doctor neither declared patient dead nor visited him in car nearby the hospital. The doctor’s statement is relatively creditworthy because a senior doctor does not visit a patient in the vehicle to treat him. When patient’s son took him near the hospital, there was no reason why he could not be taken to the hospital”.
This could be one of the most outlandish of allegations yet, which was aptly dismissed by the Consumer Commission.
Source: Order pronounced by Odisha State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission on 8th August, 2022.