I have just read about a court ruling in Kolkata, where a Cardiologist in Rabindra Nath Tagore Institute of Cardiology has been fined for not obtaining a proper consent. The patient was a retired IAF officer, and he died after Coronary Angiography. His daughter took the case to court. In my 16 years in professional medical administration, I have hardly seen any consultant explaining to the patient about the procedure about to be performed, the possible risks and consequences etc. I am yet to see a single consent being signed by the consultant himself/herself.
All signatures are of the relative, and they are countersigned by the ward nurse or the Ward RMO, who holds MBBS degree, or a BAMS/BHMS qualified. This is contrary to all the laid down regulations. I want to bring this to your attention, and seek your inputs, and ask what your own observations have been. It goes without saying…
