Call Security before Declaring Death: PGI tells resident Doctors

Dr Jagat Ram, Director of PGIMER stated that, "For their safety, I have told all resident doctors working in the emergency to inform the QRT before informing attendants about the death of a patient. They should be extra cautious in case they sense that the attendants are going to create nuisance."

Chandigarh: With the rising instances of assaults being reported from various government medical colleges and hospitals across the country, one of the most premier medical institutes in the country has apparently told its resident doctors to first call security and then only declare to the attendants about their patient's death. This comes in view of the observation that majority of assaults are following the death declaration of the patient.

Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) director, Dr Jagat Ram has taken an action for doctors' safety at the institute by ordering a quick-response team (QRT) and directing all the doctors to summon the security personnel before declaring a patient's expiration.

HT reports that Dr Jagat Ram has ordered a quick-response team (QRT) of 12 security guards to keep an eye on untoward incidents threatening the safety of doctors in the emergency wing. This team will be in addition to the 40-odd security guards posted in the ward.

Many incidents have been reported in the past where doctors have faced harsh agitation from their patients as well as the attendants where they have been beaten up, hurled abuses at or threatened.

One such recent incident happened at PGIMER on 21^st March when a resident doctor was verbally abused by the relatives of a 13-year-old patient and a dialysis machine costing over 21 lakh was also broken up in the incident. Dr Sandeep Tula, vice-president, Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) confirmed the incident and told the Hindustan Times, "The boy had end-stage cancer. For three days, the doctors had been informing the father that bone marrow transplant was the only solution, but his family could not afford the expenses. The child died on Wednesday night, following which his family started hurling abuses at the female doctor and broke a machine."

Responding to the incident, Dr Jagat Ram told HT "This behavior is highly inappropriate and will not be tolerated. The doctors give their best to save lives and do not deserve this treatment by attendants. Moreover, by breaking the machine the family has impacted the treatment of many others. We have filed a police complaint against the family."

"For their safety, I have told all resident doctors working in the emergency to inform the QRT before informing attendants about the death of a patient. They should be extra cautious in case they sense that the attendants are going to create nuisance," the director added.

Resident doctors at the institute have been demanding a QRT for a long time now, with the authorities finally announcing action in light of the recent event. The daily adds that the message has been communicated verbally only, no orders have been provided in writing yet. A senior administrative officer informed that a meeting will be held between the hospital administration the security personnel as well as the resident doctors at the institute and a number of measures such as above would be finalized there