Doctors / hospitals are duty bound to provide medical records within seventy-two hours of request. However, they are not obliged to provide ‘original medical records’ unless specified in the request.
A patient had died in the hospital during treatment. Her husband sued the hospital and its doctors, alleging that wrong treatment led to untimely death of his beloved wife. His case was built on one claim – the hospital did not provide original medical records despite sending a request for same via registered post.
The hospital denied these allegations and stated that all records were provided on time as requested.
The Commission accepted hospital’s defence, as it observed the following:
“It is evident that patient’s husband has given receipts. On the said receipts, he has signed stating that death certificate and duplicate copy of all treatment papers were received. Regarding the allegation that hospital did not provide original treatment papers, he has nowhere stated in his letter sent by registered post that he also sought original treatment papers, thus this allegation has no substance”.
The husband’s allegations and case were dismissed by the Commission.
Source : Order pronounced by Madhya Pradesh State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission on 27thJanuary, 2024