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Dr N Dhanpal, President, Indian Medical Association (IMA), Bengaluru, tells DH’s Reshma Ravishanker that IMA is trying hard to sensitise practitioners regarding issues of medical negligence.
How does a patient ascertain a case of medical negligence?
Patients or their attenders can suspect medical negligence when there is an event which is not a possible outcome, as explained by the treating doctor, consequent to the treatment. However, sometimes some complications do happen which may not have been explained by the treating doctor beforehand.
How does Indian Medical Association ensure the victim gets justice? What is the course of action?
Patients are entitled to get the summary of the treatment they have undergone. One can get the copy of the entire case records only by legal recourse.
A lot of patients complain that no counselling was given prior to even a risky procedure. How do you address this problem?
Routinely, before any procedure counselling is done explaining about the indications of the procedure, the procedure and its complications, and possible outcomes. IMA conducts CMEs (continued medical education) on a regular basis for the doctors sensitising them about medical negligence and medico-legal issues.
When doctors are found negligent, what action would be taken against them?
In many hospitals, the doctors are over-worked and sometimes may not be able to update the records. For example, some emergency procedures take not less than 8 to 10 hours and sometimes even more. But this should not be an excuse and medical records need to be updated and complete.
Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/state/docs-are-overworked-may-not-able-to-update-records-724790.html
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