SURAJ NANDREKAR

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PANJIM: Close on the heels of DDSSY insurance company issuing notices to private hospitals for overcharging in Goa, the Union Ministry for Health has asked States to issue strict warnings and take action against overcharging private hospitals.

Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan, in a letter to State Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma, has drawn attention to the alleged malpractices by various clinical establishments. The Union ministry’s diktat comes in the wake of allegations that Gurgaon-based Fortis Hospital billed the family of a dengue patient Rs 16 lakh.

Speaking to Herald Sharma said, “Yes, we have received the letter and I have marked it to the Health Secretary for further action.”

In a letter to chief secretaries, Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan said that alleged malpractices by clinical establishments not only compromise on patient safety but also raise concerns about accountability in healthcare costs.

She asked the states to ensure implementation of the Clinical Establishment (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010 under which all hospitals can be regulated.

“It is time to learn lessons from such incidents and I advise that a meeting with all important healthcare establishments, including private hospitals, of your state be taken and they be clearly sounded not to indulge in such practices, failing which strict action will be taken. I request you to kindly get the clinical establishment act adopted/implemented by your state also,” Sudan said in the letter.

Referring to the recent incident in which a 7-year-old girl died of dengue at Fortis hospital, Sudan said it was alleged that the patient was grossly overcharged and standard treatment protocols were not followed.

She also drew attention to the alleged malpractices by various clinical establishments in the recent past. These include exorbitant charges, deficiency in services, not following the standard treatment protocols, etc, resulting not only in compromised patient safety but also concerns about transparency and accountability in healthcare costs, she said.

“Such incidents have an extremely deleterious impact on the faith of the general public in the healthcare system of the country. It is our duty to ensure that such incidents don’t recur, quality care and treatment is provided to those in need and that it is provided at a fair and an affordable price,” she said.

She said effective action can be taken against such healthcare establishments indulging in fraudulent and unethical practices under the act.

Moreover, there are provisions under other acts, rules and regulations under which action can be contemplated against such activities.