'Patients left waiting outside'- Punjab Education Minister accuses Max Hospital Mohali of denying admission despite empty ward

Chandigarh: Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains has accused a private hospital in Mohali of denying emergency care to patients despite having vacant beds, alleging that the management prioritised money over human lives.

Bains claimed he found empty beds in the emergency ward at the Max Hospital in Mohali while patients were kept waiting outside. He recorded a video inside the hospital and later spoke to patient attendants, who alleged delays before admission.

"I am quite surprised to think that for these private hospitals, money is more important than human life. Where patients are charged lakhs of rupees in the name of treatment, they have to wander and face troubles. I deeply respect the "Doctors" who are considered as another form of God, but it pains me a lot to see some such hospitals and their managers when they do such things," said the Education Minister.

Furthermore, he said that he would raise the issue with the Health Minister and inspect the hospital beds. The Minister mentioned the case of a woman from Hamirpur (Himachal) and claimed that the patient had to wait for 20-25 minutes in an ambulance before she was denied admission and was forced to go to another hospital seeking treatment.

However, the hospital has stated that when patients were brought by an ambulance, the emergency department did not have enough beds available, and the patients were also informed about this.

Also Read: Max Hospital accused of extorting money after infant’s tragic death

Minister's Statement:

Uploading a video on his social media handle, the Minister said that when he visited Max Hospital in Mohali to admit the brother-in-law of the Sarpanch in the ICU and alleged that the hospital delayed admission until formalities were completed and payment ensured. The hospital admitted the patient and later told him to wait, saying that they don't have beds. However, the Minister claimed that while they were standing there, 2 ambulances with patients suffering were waiting, even though the entire emergency department was empty. To support his claim, the Minister showed a place inside the hospital in the video.

He claimed that the entire motive to admit those patients was to make money, and allegedly, the hospital was not shifting the patients to the ICU.

In the video, the Education Minister said that he would raise the issue with the Health Minister to complain. He said that first, the beds of the hospitals should be checked, adding that if the beds are full, then they should be cleared first.

"Today at Max Hospital, Mohali, I witnessed a deeply painful scene. Due to the negligence of management and their race for money, patients coming from far away were made to sit outside under the excuse of “file making” instead of being admitted in the emergency — even when the emergency ward was empty. An elderly mother from Hamirpur had to wait 20–25 minutes in an ambulance without being admitted. Finally, I had to step in personally to get her, along with another patient, admitted who were helplessly waiting outside. It is shocking to see that for such private hospitals, money holds more value than a human life. While they charge lakhs in the name of treatment, patients are left to suffer and struggle. I have the deepest respect for doctors who are truly considered a form of God, but when certain hospitals and their management behave this way, it is heartbreaking," the Minister said in a post.

As per the latest media report by Bhaskar, issuing a clarification regarding the incident, the hospital said that when the patient arrived by ambulance, no beds were available. It added that the patient was a 60-year-old who had been admitted to the hospital several times before and was discharged on September 22. The patient was brought back to the hospital with a serious condition requiring ICU care.

The hospital said that at the time when the patient was brought in, no ICU beds were free, and the patient and his family members were informed about the situation; and the patient was admitted once a CCU bed became available.

Also Read: Max Hospital accused of demanding money after death of infant