KURNOOL: Several doctors and employees of the Kurnool Government General Hospital (KGGH) may face suspension as a two-member probe team confirmed their involvement in the diversion of heart patients in need of surgery and stent procedure to private hospitals for monetary gain.
Following the reports in these columns about the irregularities in KGGH, a probe was conducted by Joint Collector V Prasanna Venkatesh and District Medical and Health Officer Dr AVVRK Prasad. During their inquiry, it was found that the doctors performed stent procedure on less than 500 patients in the last 10 years, while the number of angiograms performed was 7,000. Most of the patients requiring stents (percutaneous coronary intervention) or open heart surgeries were diverted to private hospitals. Prasanna Venkatesh said several patients were referred to private hospitals for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or cardiac surgery, though angiogram was performed at KGGH. He said the wrongdoing had deprived the hospital of the benefits of the Aarogyasri scheme.
“We are still probing the case and shortly will submit a detailed report to District Collector S Satyanarayana for further action,” the joint collector said.The probe team is taking details of the patients who first got admitted to the KGGH, underwent angiogram and later underwent surgery at private hospitals. They are likely to gather information as to who referred them to private hospitals, how much was the estimated cost of the surgery at private hospitals and the same at the government hospital.
It is learnt that some doctors told the probe team that though the KGGH was hamstrung by lack of equipment, the Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Surgery departments were fully equipped with latest medical equipment for the past 10 years.
Superintendent of the KGGH Dr P Chandrasekhar was the HoD of Cardiology department during the period when alleged irregularities took place. However, he had denied his involvement in any dubious activities.
Some KGGH doctors reportedly stressed the need for keeping Chandrasekhar away from duty till the inquiry was completed, as chances of him employing people to fudge the records and case sheets was not ruled out.