Doctor Suspended for employing BAMS practitioner: High Court

Hyderabad: Taking a strict view against hospitals employing ISM practitioners to provide allopathic care to patients, about whom they have limited knowledge, the state high court, was recently seen upholding the suspension of medical practitioner and a hospital owner on account of employing a BAMS practitioner as well as not turning up when the patient's condition became serious

It is reported that Dr Goli Venkateshwar Rao, the managing director of Sri Sairam Multi-specaility hospital, had been suspended by the Andhra Pradesh Medical Council as well as a MCI for a period of one year, on account of employing non-allopathic doctors in the hospital.

The case that led to the suspension was that of one Bharath Kumar, a kidney patient who had been admitted the hospital in February 2013. During the night, the patient’s condition deteriorated. As a duty doctor, the hospital had employed a BAMS ( Bachelors in Ayurveda) practitioners, who could not handle the patient who could not evaluate the patient properly. Telephonic consultation was made to Dr Rao at night. Deccan Herald reports that while he said he would come  but did not turn up.

By the time Dr Rao came in the morning, the patients condition had further deteriorated and he was shifted to a higher centre for critical care. Despite treatment started at the higher centre, the patient died the next day, owing to his critical condition.

Both the Andhra Pradesh Medical Council as well as the Medical Council of India held the doctor guilty of willful negligence, as he had failed to come to see the patient at night and had also employed non-allopathic doctor who could not understand the patient’s medical condition.

It is reported that challenging the said decisions, Dr Rao filed a petition with the state high court, but the high court in a recent judgment also upheld the council orders, validating his suspension.