Rajkot Hospital slapped Rs 23 Lakh fine, suspended

Rajkot: Around 3 months after two Rajkot-based hospital had been suspended from the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) scheme, the Health Department of Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) has now taken similar action against Shanti Multispecialty Hospital in Rajkot for multiple irregulaties.

The Department has suspended the hospital from the PMJAY scheme for six months and imposed a fine of Rs 23 lakh on the hospital, TOI has reported. 

This comes after the health department of the Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) and an insurance company, while conducting an audit, found several irregularities. Consequently, the hospital was served a notice on Friday.

Under the PMJAY Scheme, eligible families receive cashless treatment up to Rs 10 lakh at private hospitals.

Also Read: PMJAY Angioplasty Deaths Case: Khyati Hospital Chairman arrested

As per the latest media report by the Times of India, the inspection was conducted on January 6th. In the notice, that has been issued to the hospital, it has been highlighted that during the inspection, the doctors registered on the HEM (hospital empanelment module) portal were absent. It also mentioned that the certificate issued by the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) had lapsed and no application for renewal have been made.

It also highlighted that the X-ray machine was in the general ward and without proper radiation protection measures such as curtains or metal walls and the hospital's CCU, OT, and recovery rooms also failed to meet the PMJAY guidelines and there were inadequacies in fumigation and autoclave documentation. 

Further, the department alleged in the notice that the hospital had unlawfully collected Rs 14,900 from PMJAY scheme beneficiaries even though they were assured refunds on discharge.

Meanwhile, the insurance company also issued a show-cause notice to the hospital regarding the 24 surgeries performed by a doctor after he was removed from the HEM portal, for a total of Rs 4.48 lakh in fees.

In the notice, the Health Department mandated refunding Rs 14,900 to patients and imposed a fivefold penalty. Additionally, a five-times penalty was imposed on the Rs 4.48 lakh surgery fees, totalling Rs 22.40 lakh.

"The hospital is liable to pay a total penalty of Rs 23.15 lakh within seven days failing which action according to the PMJAY guidelines will be taken," stated the notice.

The action against the Rajkot-based hospital is a continuation of the Health Department's action against several hospitals in Gujarat, found of irregular conduct in the PMJAY scheme.

Also Read: Khyati Hospital Angioplasty Deaths Case: Gujarat Council suspends 2 doctors

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the investigations into the irregularities in the PMJAY scheme started after a PMJAY angioplasty scam at Khyati Multispecialty Hospital came to light. Last year in November, two patients, who attended a free medical camp organized by Khyati Hospital under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) passed away due to postoperative complications following Angioplasty procedures.

This incident caused widespread outrage as an angioplasty was performed at the hospital on 19 patients and two of them died while 5 others were kept on ventilation. These 19 people were brought to Khyati Hospital by ambulance for treatment after they attended the free health checkup camp in Borisna village of Kadi taluka on November 10. Around 80 to 90 people were examined at the camp.

In connection with the investigation, earlier, police had arrested the Khyati Hospital Chairman and the Gujarat Medical Council has suspended several doctors in this regard.

Back in December, the Gujarat Government, while investigating the hospitals violating norms under the PMJAY, suspended two private hospitals in Rajkot and imposed penalties on one hospital in Bharuch and Vadodara. Krishna Surgical Hospital and Swastik Multi Speciality Hospital (both in Rajkot) were de-panelled from the scheme for irregularities.

Also Read: PMJAY Irregularities: 2 Rajkot Hospitals face suspension, 2 others fined