Medical care in private hospitals a costly affair

In times of emergency, family of a patient admits the patient in a private hospital without a second thought about the cost. However, exorbitant bills end up burning a hole in their pockets.

While a patient is generally admitted to a private hospital with a hope of a speedy recovery, this is not always the case.

One such case includes a family from Mulund who had admitted their father to a private hospital two months ago due to low blood sugar but his condition got worse few days.

The patient's daughter Priti Parab said that her father was admitted to Mulund-based Platinum Hospital where he suffered a heart attack and kept for another 13 days. While he did not survive, the family had to pay over Rs 4.5 lakh in medical bills.

While he was treated five minutes after his attack, he has slipped into a coma.

"Due to the negligence of the staff, he was left unattended for four to five minutes. It could have saved his life. We wanted to focus on my father's recovery and did not file a complaint," Parab said.

Another family member of a patient, who was admitted to a private hospital in Vile Parle, alleged that medical tests were costlier than the normal rates.

He was admitted to a private nursing home after being diagnosed with dengue. "My uncle was first diagnosed with dengue and later jaundice. The rooms too were costly. For the entire week that he was admitted, we were charged Rs 51,000," said Sunny Nadar, the patient's nephew.