In India, nearly 52-lakh medical errors happen every year despite the fact that the healthcare sector was being governed by sets of rules, laws and ethical standards, said experts at the Continuing Medical Education (CME) programme on Legal Opinion on Rights and Defences for Doctors organised by the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (FMT), Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences.

“Knowledge of the various nuances of medicolegal practice is incomplete without understanding how to prevent fallacies in medicolegal cases,” said speakers.

Opening remarks were delivered by Dr Richa Choudhary, professor and head of the department of FMT. “Doctors should be aware of their responsibility while treating patients. It is imperative to keep a record of the treatment given to the patients as well as to inform their relatives about the advantages and disadvantages of specific medications,” say experts.

“Transparency is a key factor in treatment. Once you explain to relatives/attendants the real condition and line of treatment, no one will blame doctors for keeping them in the dark,” said Dr Abhishek Shukla, secretary-general association of international doctors.

Prof Sonia Nityanand, director, Dr RMLIMS, Prof Nuzhat Hussain, dean, Dr RMLIMS and Prof Rajan Bhatnagar, CMS, RMLIMS, addressed the programme. The guest of honour, DK Thakur, commissioner of police, deliberated on MLC prescriptions for doctors. Hospital administrators, clinicians, nurses, and students in these domains were the principal participants in CME.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/transparency-in-treatment-is-key-for-docs-to-prevent-medicolegal-cases-experts-101658601992901.html