Kozhikode private hospitals to set up Grievance redressal systems for patients
Kozhikode: With an aim to prevent attacks against healthcare professionals, the health authorities have come up with a new proposal to establish grievance redressal systems for patients in Kozhikode private hospitals so that they would have a place to put forth their problems.
A meeting of private hospital representatives would be held on April 26 in Kozhikode to discuss the proposal, said the members of the Kozhikode branch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Kerala. Alex Franklin, chairman, IMA’s committee for safe zone hospitals and Joseph Benevan, State secretary of the organisation might be addressing the meeting.
Also Read:Attack on senior cardiologist: Court grants bail to five accused in Kozhikode
According to Sankar Mahadevan, district vice-president, of IMA, the kin of the patients have often pointed out the lack of a system which would enable them to express their issues and problems like medical negligence. He informed the Hindu that this new system would allow patients and their kin to express their issues to the hospital representatives. He added that it would be then taken up with the authorities and doctors’ organisations such as the IMA.
The Kerala government had a few days back informed the Kerala High Court that they are planning to amend The Kerala Healthcare Service Persons and Healthcare Service Institutions, (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act 2012 in order to prevent further attacks on healthcare professionals in the state, which was reported by the Medical Dialogues team.
The Kerala High Court recently cancelled the bail granted to the accused for attacking a senior cardiologist at a city-based hospital. While granting the bail, the judge pointed out that the doctors continue to face harassment if anything goes wrong with the patient. The court noted that healthcare professionals are attacked at the slightest provocation. The judge had also held the casual approach of courts responsible while dealing with instances of attacks on health personnel for the increasing attacks on doctors.
