Friday, March 27, 2009

Blaaze's open letter

MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2008
My mother's ordeal... 'open' letter to hospital


Rajesh Raman
Son Of Mrs. Sathyabhama Raman
Abhiramapuram
Chennai – 600 018
Date: 15th December, 2008

To
The Management,
Chennai Meenakshi Multispeciality Hospital Ltd.
148, Luz Church Road,
Mylapore, Chennai 600 004


Respected Sir,

It is with utmost disappointment that I am compelled to write this to bring to your notice the complete inadequacy and disrespect shown to my mother and fellow patients at your hospital.

My mother, Mrs. Sathyabhama Raman was admitted to the hospital on Friday, December 12th 2008. Having been under the care of Dr. GS Kailash, she is being discharged today, thankfully. Please note the following and do ensure the services are improved so as to help other unfortunate patients who may have to suffer the added pain of your services alongwith the illness already diagnosed. A copy of this letter is being given to all concerned departments.

Saturday December 13th 2008 - Room 211

9.27 pm – 10.00 pm

3 times was attended for medication / reports / drips
Nurse left patient on all three occasions half way…

(hospital excuse) – shortage of sisters

9.00 pm – previous 48 hours (since admission)

Patient has acute bronchitis alongwith other illness, and had been administered nebulisation – ON A BROKEN MACHINE !
Complaint in the form of a doubt was raised by the patient’s daughter-in-law, Nandini Raman, on first nebulisation, as it seemed to not work.(i.e. no trace of smoke from machine mask during nebulisation). No positive response from nurse who was attending and mentioned it is ..as is.
Second day of nebulisation, I, Rajesh Raman, was present in the evening, and being a severe asthmatic patient myself, knew the nuisances of the nebuliser, and this time when complaint was raised by myself, to the sister on duty, she AGREED that the unit being used since her admission to the hospital, was and still is…BROKEN.

(hospital excuse) – as a patient, you should have complained earlier, says the nurse!

Emergency Bell kept at bedside – response time - 7 minutes - after three rings and patient walking to desk to ask for attendance !

(hospital excuse) – there was nobody at the desk to attend to bell call.

10.12 pm

3 injections through intra-veinous (IV) was administered to patient in 21 seconds. Am curious as to whether this is common practice as my mother was in tremendous pain.

(hospital excuse) – this is the way it is done.

07.15 am Monday, December 15, 2008

After being in room 211 since Saturday, 13th December, the bedsheets of the patient have been changed only now, and that too after polite requests to do so by myself. 3 days later? A bedsheet change?

(hospital excuse-overheard) – lack of sheets

09.15 am

Dustbin changed and replaced WITHOUT removal of the bin liner inside, with cotton swabs and tea stains etc still in the new change. Complained to head nurse about some basic sense of responsibility required and prompt replacement was made.

09.30 am

Had to request for toilet to be cleaned … as it has not been cleaned since admission.

(hospital excuse) – not sure …


Am truly appalled by the further stress and pain an admission to your hospital may bring to fellow patients like my mother. Please do take action.
For God’s sake, if not for humanity.



Regards

Rajesh Raman
(15-12-08)

4 comments:

Jayamurugan said...

Its truly annoying to see such an instance occurring in a Private hospital for an educated and celebrity individual. I couldnt imagine even more worst issues for those who are poor, uneducated and innocent.
Chinmayi,
We need to do something or the other to stop such issues as they are very critical since it deals with a life of a person. Can we not take this concern to President of India?

Chinmayi Sripada /Chinmayee said...

Jayamurugan: Hmm. Do you think they ll have the time? Apparently a lot of the people who are higher up say that young blood will be active and boiling for a while, and then it will all die down. The President of India probably gets treated in AIIMS which is not really free of controversy either considering the number of complaints and reports national newspapers have carried. And when the ministers and all the VIPS come for rounds, everything is superficially in order. Once they step out of the building pandemonium happens as usual. I only wish we know if what else can be done.

SM said...

Hi Chinmayee,

Very thought provoking posts and makes me feel helpless:(
Our dear health minister talks always about onscreen smoking and other health stuff and can he not channelize some of his energy in cleaning up the system?
Has he ever talked about in the past or has it always been missing in his agenda?

- Sirisha

Unknown said...

Dear Chinmayi,....am confused with the posts shared by you (sorry to say this) the reason is every time you are bringing a sensitive issue to the notice of others, and if someone asks"anything couldbe done?" then obvious reply is "nothing other than to know and watch"....to say this weary answer, why we should share the feeling....
Only an optimistic path can change the world. i wish celebrity speeks out only when they are badly hit by these incidents...!!!

Something we all can do is that, to ask as many questions to the management (i mean continuous,non-stop inflow of letters,mails,and other stuffs-something sounds like non-allignment movement of Bapu!!)

Cheers to you for bring such incident to light!!!