Spinal injury patient seeks action against docs

MADURAI: A spinal injury patient has fi led a petition in the Madurai bench of Madras High Court, seeking action against two doctors for alleged professional misconduct and ‘unethical acts.’ Admitting the petition, Justice K K Sasidharan ordered issue of notice to the two doctors, Medical Council of India, Tamil nadu Medical council, Principal Secretary, Health and family welfare, among others. The Petitioner submitted he suffered an injury after a fall while doing masonry work on Dec 10 2011. He was operated on by one of the doctors at a hospital in Thucklay owned by the other and had to stay there for 32 days. Though he paid Rs 65,000 towards surgery and hospitalization, no receipt was given. Besides the pain did not subside despite the surgery. Though he got himself admitted to another hospital and paid Rs 75,000, there was no improvement in his condition. This doctor omitted the radiological report, and did not give appropriate medical treatment, or a discharge summary card. “This is professional misconduct being a specialist”. The man said his parents later got him admitted to Kerala Institute of Medical sciences, where he was operated and a 1.5 kg mass removed from his spine from the spot where the previous operation was done. He alleged that when his parents went to the doctor to seek a clarifi cation, he tore the discharge sheet, which, he said, was suppression of material facts and documentary evidences. The doctor, instead of using his name for referring to him to the MRI and SP Scan centre, used the name of the doctor who owned the hospital. He said he had complained to MCI Additional secretary and forwarded it to Registrar of Tamilnadu Medical Council. But TMC told him it is not competent to take action and resort to legal remedy. They also said there was no need to appoint an expert committee to investigate his complaint, he said.