Private hospitals boycott outpatient and emergency services in Mahabubnagar

Private hospitals in Mahabubnagar suspended OP and emergency services on Tuesday, protesting the assault on a doctor by relatives of a deceased patient. Tensions escalated after the hospital sought additional payment and the patient, undergoing treatment, died post-surgery.

MAHABUBNAGAR: The private hospitals managements are boycotting outpatient and emergency services in the district to protest against the attack on a doctor by attendants and relatives of a patient, who died while undergoing treatment.

On Sunday, Devamma, a resident of Bonpally thanda of Narayanpet, was admitted to United Hospitals in Mahabubnagar town due to some kidney ailment. She was 60.

---

After conducting tests, the hospital management informed the patient’s attendants that a surgery had to be performed and asked them to deposit Rs 1 lakh.

Accordingly, the patients paid the amount, and on Monday morning, the hospital management asked the attendants to deposit some more money. To this, the family members urged the management that they would pay the amount after the surgery and while being discharged from the hospital.

The management wanted the family members to sign the declaration form stating that they understand the patient’s condition and the potential risks associated with the treatment.

Growing suspicious, family members wanted the hospital management to update them on Devamma’s health condition. They insisted that they would not pay an additional amount unless the doctors briefed them about the patient’s condition.

Irked over the hospital management’s attitude and holding them responsible for Devamma’s death, the family members and relatives attacked Dr. Rammohan on Monday night. They also demanded that stern action be initiated against the management, the report said.

Learning about the incident, the II town police arrived at the hospital and tried to control the situation. They pacified the family members and asked them not to violate the law. In protest against the incident, the private hospitals managements have boycotted outpatient and emergency services, the reports added.