No private hospital in southern Punjab overcharged for Covid treatment: Health dept

In seven districts of the south Malwa belt, only Bathinda reported 10 complaints against medical institutes. Bathinda civil surgeon Dr TS Dhillon said of these, four complaints were under investigation, whereas six cases have been disposed of

Bathinda State health department has claimed that its investigation and field visits have found that no private hospital in southern Punjab overcharged any patient for Covid-19 treatment. In seven districts of the south Malwa belt, only Bathinda reported 10 complaints against medical institutes. Bathinda civil surgeon Dr TS Dhillon said of these, four complaints were under investigation, whereas six cases have been disposed of.

The complaints were not backed by documentary evidence. (HT Photo)

In the rest of the six districts, no patient lodged a complaint with the authorities about overcharging by the hospitals or diagnostic laboratories.

“To date, the maximum punishment in Covid-19 related cases from the region has been meted out to Global Healthcare, a city-based super-specialty private hospital, where it was barred from admitting new coronavirus cases till July-end from June 1,” Dr Dhillon added.

An inspection by the health team in May found the hospital had admitted four times its authorised strength of patients with level-3 complication (critically-ill patients).

“To date, there is not even a single case where a complainant furnished documentary evidence to support an allegation of charging more than rates fixed by the state government. A bunch of complaints were registered against four private laboratories in Bathinda for charging more than the state government’s price list. None of these cases, however, were referred by any doctor or tagged as Covid-19 patients or suspected cases of the infection. The administration let these off with a strict warning,” Dr Dhillon added.

Departmental probes have said that in one case it was found the deceased was not a Covid-19 patient, while in two instances, the complainants were withdrawn. In another case, the claim of overruled as the hospital bill was covered under medical insurance. “The state government’s policy was framed for a patient paying from his own pocket,” the doctor added.

“Some unscrupulous elements were found making frivolous charges of medical negligence and overcharging by a leading medical facility on social media. There was not a single representation against it with us,” says a health department official requesting anonymity.