Hospitals can’t detain patients over dues: HC

Mumbai

The Bombay high court on Tuesday said hospitals cannot detain patients for non-payment of bills. “If a patient does not pay, it can’t be that the hospital detains him. It is an offence. It is unauthorised detention. In such case criminal law will have to be set in motion,” said a bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Prakash Naik. They heard a suo motu public interest litigation following two cases where patients were detained over disputed bills. The state’s advocate said the Maharashtra Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Bill 2014 has been notified and suggestions and objections were invited from the public. But advocate Diwakar Dwivedi, who appeared for the petitioners in those two cases, said, “Even if the Bill is passed, it will not protect patients.” He explained that it was about the registration of hospitals except for section 34 (3), which says that patients may approach the authorities with their grievances. The judges said there was another aspect. “By the very nature of the Bill, what control the state can have,” said Justice Oka. The judges said the main issue was “not allowing patients to move out of hospitals so far as bills are not paid”. The advocate for the Association of Medical Consultants (AMC), which claims to represent 8,000 doctors and 1,500 hospitals/nursing homes, said in principle its members do not support detaining patients. “But at the same time some viable solution must be found to strike a balance,” he said, adding that there has to be some mechanism for recovering payment. The judges said that hospitals will have to resort to remedies in law. The bench asked if the AMC would issue a resolution not to detain patients. “Will you pass a resolution that no member will indulge in such a thing?” asked Justice Oka. The judges said AMC’s stand had to be very clear. The Medical Council of India’s advocate said it felt any dispute had to be resolved by some authority or council which can look into the matter within seven days. The next hearing is on April 13.

Related Posts

Lipid Association Of India Issues New Updated Heart Disease Guidelines For Indian Patients

New Delhi: The Lipid Association of India (LAI) has updated its guidelines on heart disease in Indians, ToI reported on February 24. The fresh guidelines include new data on cardiovascular…

AI in Education is Transforming Learning Experiences

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the landscape of education, offering personalized learning experiences and innovative teaching methods. This post delves into the various applications of AI in education, from adaptive…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You Missed

Spurious drugs: Maiden Pharma blacklisted, all contracts cancelled

Spurious drugs: Maiden Pharma blacklisted, all contracts cancelled

DCC Calls For Strict Implementation Of Revised Schedule M, State-Level Activities To Address AMR

DCC Calls For Strict Implementation Of Revised Schedule M, State-Level Activities To Address AMR

Sanofi, Cipla Join Hands To Expand Reach Of CNS Portfolio In India

Sanofi, Cipla Join Hands To Expand Reach Of CNS Portfolio In India

Cyberabad Police Seize 1 Kg Alprazolam, Arrest Three

Cyberabad Police Seize 1 Kg Alprazolam, Arrest Three

Lee Health develops natural capsule for effective Heart care

Lee Health develops natural capsule for effective Heart care

Medical Shop Run By Twenty20 In Kizhakkambalam Asked To Shut Down

Medical Shop Run By Twenty20 In Kizhakkambalam Asked To Shut Down