Hyderabad, long hailed as a global hub for medical tourism and cutting-edge healthcare, is currently grappling with a growing shadow: the rise of medical malpractices and unethical billing within its private hospitals.
While many institutions provide world-class service, recent reports and court rulings have highlighted a disturbing trend of negligence and commercialization that puts patient safety at risk.
Common Forms of Malpractice in the City
The spectrum of medical negligence in Hyderabad ranges from administrative greed to surgical errors.
Recent consumer court cases and health department audits have identified several recurring issues:
* Surgical and Anesthesia Errors: There have been alarming reports of “retained foreign objects” (leaving surgical tools inside patients) and permanent nerve damage due to incorrectly administered anesthesia. In one 2025 case, the Hyderabad Consumer Commission penalized a hospital after a patient suffered a life-threatening perforation during a routine procedure that was performed without proper consent.
* The “RMP Commission” Nexus: A widespread but clandestine practice involves private hospitals paying commissions—sometimes up to 40% of the total bill—to Rural Medical Practitioners (RMPs) or unqualified “quacks” for referring patients. This incentivizes unnecessary admissions and shifts the focus from patient care to profit margins.
* Diagnostic Overreach: Patients often complain of being forced to undergo a battery of expensive, redundant tests (MRI, CT scans, and repeated blood work) that are not clinically necessary but serve to inflate the final bill.
* Lack of Informed Consent: In the rush to meet surgical quotas, many hospitals fail to explain the risks of procedures, often obtaining signatures on blank or vague consent forms when the patient is already under duress.
The “Hidden Cost” of Healing: Billing Malpractices
The most frequent grievance among Hyderabad residents is surplus billing. During health crises, including the post-COVID era, several prominent hospitals in areas like Gachibowli and Banjara Hills have faced show-cause notices for:
* Inflated Pharmacy Charges: Selling medicines and consumables at prices far above the MRP or charging for items never used.
* Holding Patients “Hostage”: Instances where hospitals refuse to discharge a patient—or even release a deceased body—until an inflated bill is settled in full.
* Unclear Line Items: Providing “lump sum” bills that lack transparency, making it nearly impossible for families to verify the services rendered.
Legal Recourse and Patient Rights
Victims of medical negligence in Telangana have several avenues for seeking justice, though the process can be lengthy:
* Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission: This is the most common route for seeking financial compensation. Recent rulings in Hyderabad have seen awards ranging from ₹5 lakh to ₹50 lakh depending on the severity of the harm.
* Telangana Medical Council (TGMC): If the grievance is specifically against a doctor’s professional conduct, a complaint can be filed with the TGMC, which has the power to suspend medical licenses.
* The Clinical Establishments Act: This allows the State Health Department to inspect facilities, impose fines, or even cancel the licenses of hospitals found to be violating safety or billing norms.
The Path Forward
Addressing these malpractices requires a two-pronged approach: stricter enforcement of existing laws by the Telangana government and increased awareness among citizens.
The introduction of the Integrated Hospital Facility Management Services (IHFMS) policy is a step toward standardizing care, but public trust will only be restored when transparency becomes the default, not the exception.
