Hospital brands use money to hide their shortcomings

Medanta & Fortis bribe patients ( sort of)

The Wire did a series of stories about how hospitals are over charging, and then pacify families with the out of court settlement.

What’s the cost?:

• Fortis offered to refund INR 43 lacs to the family of 57 year old mother. She died after 54 days of treatment in Fortis Bangalore.
• Fortis also offered money to father of Adya Singh, who died last year in Gurgaon.
• Medanta refunded INR 16 lacs to Gopendra Kumar, whose 7 year old died in Gurgaon last year.

What are the other options?

• A court case, which punishes the business. However, businesses avoid cases. They avoid negative publicity.
• Government inquiry and reforms. It’s a slow process. Also, it highlights government’s failure.

What are the wrong doings?

• Hospitals markup prices. There are instances of mark up of more than 1300% in consumables.
• Negligence on the part of hospitals.
• Not communicating to the patients’ family about the treatment.

Worthy of your time: Anu Bhooyan’s video

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