People on the internet are talking about this case. The case has become so big that even JP Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare in Narendra Modi government, has now intervened in the matter. It all started when a Twitter user @DopeFloat in a post on a microblogging site alleged that Fortis Gurgaon hospital charged Rs 18 lakh for 15 days of treatment of dengue for a young daughter of his friend. The tweet later went viral on social media. Union Health Minister JP Nadda has taken note of alleged overcharging by Gurgaon Fortis from family members of a patient who reportedly died of dengue recently.
What had the man tweeted about the case? Know about the viral tweet
“One of my batchmate’s 7 year old was in @fortis_hospital for ~15 days for Dengue. Billed 18 lakhs including for 2700 gloves. She passed away at the end of it…,” he tweeted. After the post was widely circulated on social media, the Union health minister on Twitter said: “Please provide me details on hfwminister@gov.in . We will take all the necessary action.”
One of my batchmate’s 7 year old was in @fortis_hospital for ~15 days for Dengue. Billed 18 lakhs including for 2700 gloves. She passed away at the end of it. Corrupt assholes.
— D (@DopeFloat) November 17, 2017
What JP Nadda said about the matter?
Please provide me details on hfwminister@gov.in .We will take all the necessary action. https://t.co/dq273L66cK
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) November 20, 2017
What Fortis hospital has to say about the matter and little girl’s death?
Fortis hospital in a statement claimed that all standard medical protocols were followed in treating the patient and all clinical guidelines were adhered to. “She was admitted with Severe Dengue which progressed to Dengue shock syndrome and was managed on IV fluids and supportive treatment as there was a progressive fall in platelet count and hemoconcentration. As her condition deteriorated, she had to be put on ventilatory support within 48 hours,” the hospital said in a statement. “On September 14, the family decided to take her away from the hospital against medical advice (LAMA – Leave Against Medical Advice) and she succumbed the same day,” the Fortis statement added. The hospital said an itemised bill spread over 20 pages was explained and handed over to the family at the time of their departure from the hospital. “All consumables are transparently reflected in records and charged as per actuals,” the Fortis statement claimed.
ALL DETAILS OF THE CASE HERE:-
Moreover, the user @DopeFloat has posted a series of tweets claiming what happened in the Fortis hospital and what hospital did.
More facts since people asked for it. Read thread and see snaps.
1. Charged for a whopping 660 syringes. They pumped a 7 year old with an average of ~40 syringes a day. Parents kept insisting on MRI/CT Scan to check if she was even alive since she was on ventilator since day 5 pic.twitter.com/NvZKQgp9Pj
— D (@DopeFloat) November 19, 2017
Doctors kept refusing and delaying scans citing ventilator despite repeated requests. CT scans are possible with ventilator. When the finally did, the brain damage was extensive.
— D (@DopeFloat) November 19, 2017
Sugar strips – available at INR 13/strip on (Tada!) – Fortis Healthcare Website – billed at INR 200 per strip. pic.twitter.com/TpNMvYtINh
— D (@DopeFloat) November 19, 2017
Started with Meropenem at INR 500 per strip, then realized the family is not protesting much, so pumped up to another brand at 7 times the price. pic.twitter.com/092fUXL12P
— D (@DopeFloat) November 19, 2017
Hospital refusing to provide a daily breakup till date
— D (@DopeFloat) November 19, 2017
If you think this was bad – read on. Worst yet to come.
After days of protest and bills piling up, Fortis refused discharge or death certificate. Technically, until the ventilator is on, the heart pumps and patient is not dead.
— D (@DopeFloat) November 19, 2017
As a side conversation, they recommended a full body plasma transplant (~15-20 LAKH PROCEDURE) despite CT scan declaring 70% + brain damage. When the family asked the rationale when the case was already hopeless, they said the rest of the organs may recover
— D (@DopeFloat) November 19, 2017
When the family disagreed, Fortis refused to release the patient, forced family to sign a “Leave-Against-Medical-Advice” form, and refused to provide ambulance since that would record a Dengue death at Fortis.
— D (@DopeFloat) November 19, 2017
They asked the family to get an ambulance from another hospital (since death in their ambulance also counts as Death under Fortis care), the family had to do rounds of multiple hospitals to close this and finally, found one.
— D (@DopeFloat) November 19, 2017
The final hospital declared the girl brought dead, thus apparently helping Fortis absolve their duties. As a closing stroke, after the family cleared the massive bills, Fortis asked the family to go back and pay for the gown the kid was wearing since her clothes wont fit. (Close)
— D (@DopeFloat) November 19, 2017
As a footnote. The final count of gloves was ~1600. Nothing else changes in terms of the wrongdoing or the numbers – but just staying clean.
— D (@DopeFloat) November 19, 2017
(The thread hereon being posted after almost 3.5 days of original post about #Fortis that went Viral. Read in FULL).
1) STOP calling my office or family or even me. You can follow the father @Jayantlko20 and join up on his FB page https://t.co/CoGQIz7Cb7
— D (@DopeFloat) November 20, 2017
2)At no point have I stated all doctors as crooks. If you do, you dilute the matter to immature generalisations. It is a noble profession and your sweeping abuse tells your character more than theirs.
— D (@DopeFloat) November 20, 2017
3)At no point have I stated Fortis killed the girl. I don’t think @Jayantlko20 has that opinion either although you can check with him yourself.
— D (@DopeFloat) November 20, 2017
4)The entire point of the thread was to highlight the sheer apathy towards Adya and the family.
— D (@DopeFloat) November 20, 2017
5)Medical distress is not the same as financial collapse or a social problem. Grit, patience and wisdom can only take you so far. In the end, biology wins. As common folks with little knowledge of a technical subject, we rely of doctors
— D (@DopeFloat) November 20, 2017
6)In a situation such as this, when your loved one’s life is at stake, to be treated like cattle on an assembly line, with zero empathy, milked dry, then skinned and consumed for meat blows your dignity and self esteem to pieces.
— D (@DopeFloat) November 20, 2017
7)As parents, we live and sacrifice a large part of our lives for our kids, and then to be objects of monetisation is evil beyond comprehension.
— D (@DopeFloat) November 20, 2017
8)THAT is what has happened. The family was never given heads up on cost breakups (just totals), given false hopes of survival through expensive procedures, given infrequent updates, denied an ambulance for the body, and forced to sign LAMA.
— D (@DopeFloat) November 20, 2017
9)This is not about the profit of a hospital, its about the pride of a father. This is not about the death. On the contrary, it’s about living with dignity. (Close)
— D (@DopeFloat) November 20, 2017
Moreover, Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar has also tweeted a heads-up to Health Minister JP Nadda, PM Narendra Modi and PMO on the matter. “Dear @JPNadda ji – theres a need to evolve a way/regulator/law to protect patients n Hospital consumers from profiteering n exploitatn by few private hospitals. Like #RERA for homebuyers. ! @PMOIndia @narendramodi,” Chandrasekhar tweeted.