PPS

Member's Information

SPECIAL NOTE (View Detail)

Membership period shall be from 1st April to 31st March (i.e. 12 Months).
Member joining the Scheme on or after 1st October will have to pay 50% of annual membership fees, however indemnity cover will be given to him/her from the next day of admission
No refund is admissible to any member who wants to discontinue his / her membership at any Time
A discontinued member if he/she wants to join the Scheme again will be treated as a new member.
Members of the Scheme having Nursing Homes and calling consultants for providing treatment to their patients or admitting patients of other doctors shall see that those doctors are also insured with the scheme.
All Medico- Legal risks arising out of activities in surgical & diagnostic camps and all activities outside the State of Gujarat shall be excluded from the purview of the Scheme.
After five litigations the scheme reserves its right of renewing or not Renewing his/her membership.
The scheme is not responsible for any act of a member for which he/she is not professionally qualified and /or professionally experienced/trained.
Continuous membership of Gujarat State Branch I.M.A. for the entire period of the coverage by the scheme is Mandatory.
The Scheme shall not provide any indemnity cover for any act of a member which is against the law of the land.
A General practitioner having Nursing Home and admitting his/her own patient will treat medical cases up to only his/her qualification level. Cases of other discipline admitted in his/her nursing home shall be under the care of concerned specialist, similarly consultant having Nursing Home and admitting cases of other discipline shall see that those cases are under the care of concerned specialist.
If a member is having attachment, the scheme will cover only the member and not the Hospital to which he/ she is attached.
For all legal disputes between the member and administration, the jurisdiction shall be restricted to the courts at Ahmedabad only.
Member doing MTP must get their Nursing Home/Hospital registered with the Government of Gujarat as per MTP act.
All necessary registrations as per Government Rules! Regulations/licenses-are mandatory.
All the members of the PPS including anaesthetists assisting or conducting any procedure of other than modern medicine shall not be covered under the Scheme for the claim arising out of such procedure.
The member cannot hold more than one membership of the Scheme at a time.
Any Criminal/Civil/Consumer complaint regarding misbehaviour / alleged rape against the member and /or dispute regarding the bill/payment for management of the patient will not be covered under the scheme.
The Scheme covers only the member and not the Hospital/ Nursing Home/Clinic/Laboratory.
The word "he" also includes/means "She" whenever applicable.

GUIDELINES AND RULES (View Detail)

Whenever a member gets legal notice for alleged negligencyin management of his patient, he has to contact our PPS Office with a copy of complaint which he has received.

Following records must be sent with copy of notice.

Photocopies of outdoor / indoor case papers.
Photocopies of investigation done &treatment given.

The office in turn will go through the same and send him list of advocates to help him in the matter and request him to select any one advocate of them.
After receiving letter of selection of advocate from the member, the office will write to the member approving the same and write a separate letter to the advocate concerned, to help the member.
The member will contact the advocate with all the papers and discuss the case.
The advocate in turn will send a copy of draft reply to the office for approval.
After approval from the PPS Office, the advocate will submit reply to the concerned party / Authority.
The member is requested to be in constant touch with the advocate and the office during the course of all the legal proceeding against him.

IMPORTANT POINTS (View Detail)

If the member of PPS is also insured by any insurance company / companies and if a complaint is filed against him, the PPS undertakes to offer him services of panel advocates for his defense. In that case if he refuses to accept the offer and chooses to be defended by insurance company only, then PPS will not have any liability for outcome of the case.
All the members of the PPS including anesthetists assisting or conducting any procedure of other than modern medicine shall not be covered under the Scheme for the claim arising out of such procedure.
The member cannot hold more than one membership of the Scheme at a time.
Criminal / Civil / Consumer complaint regarding misbehavior / alleged rape against the member and / or dispute regarding the bill / payment for management of the patient will not be covered under the scheme.
The Scheme should be informed and written consent should be taken from scheme for transfer of any case pending in the court to any other court including ‘‘LokAdalat’’.
Scheme covers only the member and not the Hospital / Nursing Home / Clinic.

Download Registration Form

PRELIMINARY GUIDELINES IN POTENTIAL LITIGANT SITUATIONS

DUTIES OF MEMBERS OF PPS (View Detail)

PPS Members are requested to follow the following guidelines so that they can be provided adequate defence at judicial level.
Be considerate, co-operative and cordial in your relations with your patients.
Never critisize the previous doctors under whose care the patient was under treatment. Start the case afresh and give solace to your patient & reassure him/her.
Create, build and strengthen your relations with practitioners of your area so that in case of crisis they may come to help you in managing the critically ill patient.
Do not give high hopes, and be careful while informing the patients or their relatives about prognosis
When you feel that you are unable to manage the case tell the patient frankly that management is essential at better equipped clinic/Hospital & Transfer the case through personal approach.
While handling case if you find that the condition of patient is worsening in spite of your effort inform the guardian or important relative of the patient even by calling him/her in operation theatre or through your representive or anaesthetist who is proper communicator and communicate that you & your team are trying your best to improve the condition of patient. Never hesitate to allow the doctor in whom the relatives have more confidence to come and handle the situation.
In case when you feel that the relations with patient or relatives are strained and litigation might arise probably in future please completly& meticulously enter all the data of scientific management which is a standard practice that you have followed step by step including timing of using the same.
When you are asked for certain written documents by the patient or his/her representative never hesitate to give them because it is right of patient to have photocopy of his own records - but before giving - handing over such papers please remain careful to enter all scientific details of management - as they might be used as legal document in the courts or at judicial level.
Remember that even the smallest prescription paper which bears your name on which you have prescribed may be used as document and your receipt/bill given to patient or his/her relative in your own handwriting with or without signature even on plain paper or given by your emloyees may be used as document therefore handle all such situations officially carefully and meticulously.
Whenever patient or his/her representative comes to see you to discuss and/or settle certain situations which is potential for litigation remember that you should not entertain the same as it may lead to and amount to blackmailing and you may be exploited unnecessarily. It is always better to face court or C.P.A. rather than have life time tension of such compromises.

RECORDS (View Detail)

Keep a meticulous, clean and complete record.

1. Mentioning informed consent if any.
2. Past illnesses & allergic reactions.
3. Past administrations of the incriminating drugs if any.
4. Test dose given if any.
5. Evolution of the incident i.e. date & time of administration, pulse, B.P. & Temperature taken at regular intervals (with time mentioned). Drugs given and time of admission and dosage, response of the patient to treatment, efforts on your part to save patient to mitigate situation.

Keep all the records under lock and key with no access even to your assistants. Inform police for any

1. Suspicious act or death e.g. accidental injury, poisoning, suicide, homicide etc.
2. Sudden death in your clinic.

Inform public health authorities in case of notifiable disease.