Khyati Hospital Row: Absence of Anaesthesiologist during critical surgeries, reveals probe

Ahmedabad: Amid the scrutiny of Khyati Hospital, where two patients died following a botched angioplasty, disturbing revelations have come to light. Authorities have uncovered a series of serious malpractices that allegedly compromised patient safety and exploited government health schemes.

The investigation, led by the city crime branch, has raised serious concerns about the hospital's practices. It has uncovered that the hospital was routinely conducting critical surgeries without anaesthetists and failing to provide adequate pre- or post-operative care, all in an apparent attempt to maximize profits.

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As per the recent media report, a crime branch officer told TOI, "The hospital's modus operandi was to conduct health check-up camps, identify beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) and bring them to the hospital in Ahmedabad. Then, the patients were rushed into surgeries in ‘emergency mode' — sometimes within hours of being admitted," said an investigator. "Patients were also frequently discharged within 24 hours, which is unheard of for procedures like angioplasty," the officer added.

The officer further stated that all medical records are under investigation, and post-dated or rough entries have been found, indicating the absence of an anaesthetist in the operation theatre during some of the procedures. It is believed that an employee at the hospital administered the anaesthesia, and this angle is being probed.

The hospital in its efforts to maximize profits has reportedly cut corners in its operations. Commenting on this an officer told TOI, "The hospital reused disposable medical items, skipped prescribed instruments, and operated without the required specialists in the room. We will question the accused individuals about this during the remand."

Khyati Hospital's profiteering strategy has reportedly exploited state and central government health schemes, particularly PM-JAY. Investigators revealed that nearly 70% of the hospital's Rs.11 crore revenue over the past 18 months came from such schemes.

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An investigator said that the remaining patients mainly came from smaller hospitals and general practitioners who allegedly received a cut from the amount the patient would spend at the hospital. He added that they were also scrutinizing the sarpanches of villages where the health camps were organized.

As authorities continue to probe further investigations are focused on how emergency procedures were sanctioned and funds disbursed under the PM-JAY scheme.