MADURAI: The district consumer disputes redressal forum ordered a private hospital doctor to pay a compensation of Rs 2.25 lakh to a patient who was admitted for treatment of jaundice but whose spleen was removed.
According to the petitioner’s council, the patient, M Beemarajan, who is a tailor by profession and a resident of Y Othakadai, had body pain and excessive tiredness. He approached a private hospital run by S Karthick in Y Othakadai, where he was diagnosed to be suffering from jaundice. The doctor reportedly advised the patient to get admitted to a hospital at Narayanapuram, where he was asked to undergo surgery as treatment for the jaundice.
The surgery was performed on May 22, 2008, and the patient was discharged later in the month, said the council. The doctor also prescribed medicines for eight months. However, the patiently apparently did not recover fully from the illness.
Later, the patient was admitted to another hospital at Ponmeni in Madurai, in February 2009, and was given ultrasonography treatment. Since this also did not help him get better, the patient went to another private hospital and then to the Government Rajaji Hospital with his medical records. It was then that it was discovered that his spleen had been removed through surgery, the council said. Reportedly, despite repeated requests for a discharge summary for the treatment given at the two private hospitals, he did not receive any.
Beemarajan filed a police complaint stating that the unwarranted removal of his spleen had caused him tremendous physical pain and mental agony.
Pronouncing the judgement, forum president V Balasundarakumar and member M Maraikamalai ordered the doctor to pay Rs 75,000 towards medical expenses, Rs 1 lakh with 6 percent interest for loss of spleen and causing permanent disability, and Rs 50,000 for the mental agony and physical strain caused to the patient. The total amount of Rs 2.25 lakh should be paid within one month, the forum order concluded.