The hospital is investigating the matter. Talking to mid-day, Dr Joy Chakraborty, CEO of the hospital, denied the pathology department was closed on October 2
Tapan Majumdar has 30% lung blockage and multiple organ failure
How do you run a bill of over R1 lakh for one day's treatment and not even know what's wrong with you because the hospital delayed your reports by hours? That's the story of Kandivli resident Tapas Majumdar, 60, who spent a harrowing day on October 1, first due to sudden breathlessness and vomiting, later from being made to go from Hinduja Hospital in Mahim to the one in Khar, over unavailability of beds, and finally, for being kept hanging for his test reports for nearly 30 hours.
This even resulted in his treatment at Balaji Hospital in Malad getting delayed for lack of medical records. Citing closure of pathology department due to Gandhi Jayanti, Hinduja Hospital has finally delivered the CBC, ESR and X-ray reports, which show that the Kolkata native has 30 per cent lung blockage along with multiple organ failure.
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Neighbour Samir Sehrawat, a donor
Love thy neighbour
Other residents of Neighbourhood Society, where Majumdar stays, helped to clear his Rs 1,13,446 bill at the Khar Hinduja Hospital and the Rs 15,287 bill at the Mahim one. As many as 12 people donated between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 to get him discharged.
His neighbour Samir Sehrawat said, "As per the bill, most of the cost is of medicines and bed. But it came as a surprise to us that without even handing over the reports, the hospital gave the family such a high bill for influenza A/h3.
"His condition was critical, and his wife was busy running around for his treatment; also, his daughter is just 12. So, we residents came forward and donated. Saving a life is more important than money."
Sehrawat said Majumdar's total bill for just one day's treatment ran up to Rs 1.28 lakh. "On October 3, he took discharge at 12.40 am because of the mounting bill. We then took him to Balaji Super Specialty Hospital in Malad East. However, doctors there couldn't start treatment because there were no reports. Even after 24 hours, the incompetent Hinduja Hospital had not done its job," he fumed.
Only after Sehrawat tweeted about this negligence to the CMO and the hospital, the latter contacted him and sent the reports.
Internal probe
The hospital is investigating the matter. Talking to mid-day, Dr Joy Chakraborty, CEO of the hospital, denied the pathology department was closed on October 2. "I am aware of this case. We do CBC and X-rays daily here, so there is no question of the pathology department being closed. We are looking into this delay and what kind of diagnostic tests were ordered. But often laymen don't understand the medical requirements and also pressurise hospitals in different forms for a refund," he said.
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