ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority (IHRA) has asked the citizens to immediately contact the authority’s quick complaints response cell in case of facing medical negligence in hospitals of the federal capital.
According to an official of the authority, a dedicated directorate of complaints has been established for receiving, managing, and resolving complaints of patients or their family members and to improve the quality of healthcare systems, services and outcomes.
He said these complaints were the source of direct information about the problems that were faced by the public from healthcare systems and services. He added many such complaints had been addressed on merit.
He said the purpose of the complaints directorate was to ensure the rights of patients and that Healthcare establishments (HCEs) were well-maintained in view of the current rules and regulations.
“The authority can investigate matters related to hospitals, labs, tibb, homeopathic clinics, matabs,
home-based services, ambulatory services, slimming centres, and other healthcare establishments providing services in the federal capital on any wrongdoings with the patients.”
He said such issues including neglect, inattention, delay, incompetence, inefficiency, administrative irregularities, abuse of power, any act of omission or commission, incorrect action or failure to take any action, failure to foresee and take comprehensive precautionary measures against possible mishaps, failure to provide the requisite information, failure to investigate, failure to reply, misleading or inaccurate statements, inadequate liaison, corrupt behaviour, incorrect or illegal administration of a drug to a patient or client, incorrect or incomplete entry in a document or violation of human rights, etc.
The official said healthcare service providers could also lodge a complaint against misconduct or damage to the healthcare establishments.
He said if the complaint, submitted either by an aggrieved person or a healthcare professional, was proved false, the authority might impose a penalty which might be extended to Rs 200, 000 upon the complainant.
He said the complainers should read guidelines on how to lodge a complaint from IHRA’s official website. He added that complainers could easily download the complaint form in Urdu or English.
He said after downloading, printing, and filling the complaint form, the complainer had to print the sample attached affidavit and produce complaint on duly notarized stamp paper of Rs 100 along with the supporting material like receipt, prescription etc. to IHRA office through courier or by hand on the address which was Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority, DMLC Building (PRCS), 2nd and 3rd Floor, Sufi Tabassum Road, H-8/2, Islamabad.
He said on the issue of medical negligence and the issue of malpractice and maladministration, the authority board had imposed a fine of amount Rs 750, 000 on the administration of a well-known private hospital of the federal capital under section 29 Islamabad Healthcare Regulation Act, 2018.
He asked for committing medical negligence, a fine of Rs 100, 000 each had been imposed on the Incharge Medical Emergency, Director Medical (ER), and on-call Cardiologist of the said hospital under Section 29 Islamabad Healthcare Regulation besides making a recommendation of referring the name of the on-call doctor to Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) for appropriate action.
He said the order was issued in the matter of complaint filed by a citizen of federal capital Mashal Hassan under Section 33 and 34 of Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority Act 2018, against a capital’s famous private hospital on the death of her father due to negligence of doctors.
He said the Complaint Management Committee (CMC) had conducted the proceedings. He added that the case was examined in detail considering the relevant documents, statements of the staff, and the applicable laws.