Date:31/03/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/03/31/stories/2006033106950500.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Panel wants hospitals to furnish reasons for surgery

K.T. Sangameswaran

Human Rights Commission submits report to Government

CHENNAI: The State Human Rights Commission has recommended that the Union and Tamil Nadu Governments make it mandatory for all hospitals and doctors to furnish patients with the reasons if surgeries have to be performed on them.

Commission Member S. Sambandham has also suggested that patients should be given the case sheets along with the discharge summary when they are being discharged.

In March 2003, Mr. Sambandham submitted an interim report following a complaint that highlighted malpractices committed by some reputed doctors and hospitals. As a follow-up, he has sent the final recommendations to the Government, considering some more developments.

Though consent letters were obtained from patients before operations, "no doctor gives any certificate as to why operation should be conducted and what are the necessities, whether it is absolutely necessary or optional." Doctors wanted to save their interests and neglected those of the patients.

Hospitals should be directed to give case history to patients at the time of discharge or if the patient died at the hospital.