Penny wise but Pound foolish
When we ask members to pay 7.5 % extra and cover the unqualified staff members while taking professional indemnity insurance, sometimes we face resistance. This miniscule additional payment gives you freedom from stress of having to pay compensation from your own resources for negligence of your staff even though you have yourself not been accused of negligence. Without it An insurer will pay compensation awarded against you but not if the compensation is awarded against a unqualified member of your staff.
https://medicaldialogues.in/gross-negligence-patient-given…/
The case where acid instead of water was given to patient to swallow medicines has no contribution of the surgeon in the negligent act itself but he cannot be absolved because of the principle of vicarious liability. A good advocate will know the doctor himself will have taken professional indemnity insurance. If the advocate really wants to harass the doctor he will sue the establishment and name the unqualified employees. If the doctor has not paid 7.5% extra in his premium he will be left holding the baby.
Similar incidents where after surgery patient while being shifted was dropped from stretcher and developed fracture have been known to have occurred. Nurse giving wrong injection; when doctor has ordered chloremphenicol but nurse given inj chloroquin IV specially when the nurse was not registered by nursing council. Attendant wheeling in oxygen cylinder into MRI room which kills the attendant. Many other situations arise during day to day working of a medical establishment which can cause a patient harm but in which the doctor has no role to play. Responsibility for such incidents will be fixed by courts and compensations awarded leaving the insurers a loophole to extricate themselves from liability of having to pay the compensation awarded.
Already MLAG and many other medical organizations are negotiating with insurers to get discounted premium rates of professional indemnity insurance for their members. Paying 140 Rs more while paying a premium of Rs 2000 is a pittance in an already cheap insurance. We request members of MLAG as w ell as doctors who take insurance through other organisations to please pay the 7.5 % extra and cover unqualified staff within the indemnity insurance.
Dr Neeraj Nagpal
Convenor,Medicos Legal Action Group, Managing Director MLAG Indemnity,
Ex President IMA Chandigarh
Director Hope Gastrointestinal Diagnostic Clinic,
1184, Sector 21 B Chandigarh
09316517176 , 9814013735
0172; 4633735, 2707935, 2706024, 5087794
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For Contributions; "Medicos Legal Action Group" Ac No 499601010036479 IFSC code UBIN0549967 Union Bank Sector 35 C Chandigarh;
