Hospitals can't withhold bodies over unpaid bills: Health dept
Ranchi: No hospital or medical facility, whether private or govt, in the state can withhold the body of a dead patient citing unpaid bills, the state health department ordered on Friday.The letter issued by the department to the health centres said, "We have received several complaints that certain hospitals refused to hand over bodies until the families settled outstanding medical bills.
The govt condemns this act as inhumane and a violation of ethical and legal standards. Such conduct causes deep mental distress to bereaved families and contradicts fundamental human values. While billing disputes may be settled through due process, the hospitals must not interfere with the humane and timely handing over of a dead person's body."The notification is based on the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010, and upholds the
Patients' Rights and Responsibilities Charter
, which states that a patient's dignity must be respected even after death. All medical institutions are also required to display the charter prominently within their premises to inform and empower patients and their families.
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