Daily Times

KARACHI: The administration of Tabba Heart Institute (THI), conducted angiography and angioplasty even after the rejection of patient’s family and shove them a hefty bill of half a million rupees.

Upon inability of the family to pay the “forced bill” the hospital management resorted to the extreme measures by “detaining” the patient and denying access to him, claimed Faizan Khan son of the patient on Sunday.

The administration of THI, a private hospital, conducted angiography and angioplasty of a patient M Aslam Khan, 64, resident of Karachi’s Sharifabad who was taken to the hospital on complain of having difficulty in breathing.

“We reached the hospital at around 2:30 am on May 01, 2017. We were informed that the doctors have diagnosed that he has suffered heart attack and after half an hour hospital administration told us that angiography and angioplasty was required for which the charges will be Rs. 400,000, but since my family was unable to afford, we bluntly refused and requested them not to conduct angiography and we planned to take him to any public hospital where he can get treatment free or at low price,”, Faizan Khan son of the patient told Daily Times.

However, he said “As we were planning to shift our father to other hospital as the we were unable to pay such huge amount for the treatment. To our surprise at around dawn the administration of the hospital told us that the procedure of angiography and angioplasty have been conducted and they handed us the bill worth Rs 529,600- which was beyond our affordability” Faizan Khan stated.

When the hospital handed over a bill of Rs. 0.529 million and forced the family to pay upon refusal the hospital management resorted to ‘detained’ the patient, according to patient’s son, Faizan Khan, who claimed that the hospital administration was not allowing family members to see him for last three days.

“We have not even signed the consent form, which is necessary before any surgery or any medical procedure. Without signing that form how they can conduct any operation,” he questioned. “Hospital administration has set a condition that if we will not pay the amount, they will not allow us to see our father,” he added.

Hospital administration had insisted for angiography and angioplasty and also offered fill ‘welfare form’ to avail reduced charges but that offer was also rejected, Faizan said.

Tabba Heart Institute (THI) located at city’s Federal B Area claims on its official website that it is the one of the highest ranked hospitals in Pakistan offering cardiac treatment and services.

When Daily Times contacted the administration of THI to get their official version, the administration claimed that patient, M Aslam Khan’s, all treatments were conducted with family’s consent and they agreed in written that they will pay the money and they also gave permission to conduct angiography and angioplasty.

“Family members agreed and they also signed consent form. We have the copies of the consent form signed by the family”, claimed Musharaf Hussain, Chief Operating Officer (COO) THI. However, when asked to share the document he bluntly refused saying that it is a ‘secret’ document that can not be made public.

“It is a confidential document and we can not share it with you, but I assure you that we have the document,” Hussain insisted over telephone.