THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State’s reputed national medical institute, the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology (SCTIMST), famed for its excellence in patient care, research and training, is in mighty doldrums with confrontations between senior doctors taking an ugly turn with suspensions, court cases and police cases against doctors.What started off as a difference of opinion at a monthly mortality meeting about the mode of treatment of a patient who died has now snowballed into a major controversy effectively destroying the congenial atmosphere at the hospital."The mortality meetings are part of academic programme intended at threadbare discussion. I am being victimised for pointing out a flaw in treatment,’’ said Dr Abraham Kuruvilla, Additional Professor of Neurology and Diplomate of the American Board of Neurology, who chaired the mortality meeting and is now under suspension for allegedly hacking e-mail accounts.While the mortality meetings at any hospital are generally noisy affairs with trading of charges, Dr Kuruvilla was pulled up on charges of harassment of a colleague when he commented that the surgery done on a stroke patient was absolutely unnecessary. This was followed by a prohibition from entering mortality meetings for a period of three months, and relieving him of duties as moderator of mortality meetings for the year 2011.The Head of the Department of Neurology received a letter from the Director, K Radhakrishnan, which said: "It may be noted that your inability to control your subordinates can result in disciplinary action against you, including asking you to step down from the position of the Head of the Department of Neurology.’’What should have resolved by sitting on either side of a table, felt many seniors in the medical field, was made even worse by constitution of a five-member committee to monitor the functioning of Dr Abraham Kuruvilla, including the punching time, attendance in outpatient and inpatient facilities and even visits to the personnel and administration division.The continuing ‘witch hunt’, as Dr Kuruvilla perceived, made him write to the Director that he would be forced to seek legal help, which would also mean that the details of the death of a certain patient will also become public. The Director regarded this as a threat of adverse publicity by Dr Kuruvilla, who was issued a memo as to why disciplinary action should not be taken against him.While this memo on March 3 made no mention about any other charges, a suspension order issued five days later said that Dr Praveen Kumar Neema and Dr Abraham Kuruvilla were suspended from service on the allegation of hacking the e-mail accounts of senior residents of SCTIMST. Dr Kuruvilla denied this charge, but the police are investigating the matter.On asked why suspension was ordered even before the investigations were over, the Director said that it was because of the nature of the case. ‘’It is a cyber crime involving hacking and it required the doctor’s room to be sealed. The computers had to be confiscated so that they would not destroy evidence,’’ said Radhakrishnan. ‘’I have to consult our legal advisers on the documents I can share with you, since the case is now in court. Anyhow, I am in Delhi now and can give our version only after I come back to Thiruvananthapuram,’’ he added.Ailing from the deadlock between the doctors, the hospital is all set to see tough days ahead, unless the governing body of the institute takes a more active role.
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