The escalating incidents of violence against healthcare service personnel such as doctors and  nurses, and the damage or loss to the property of healthcare service institutions in the country,  demand our collective attention and immediate action. There have been recent incidents in  Apollo centres where patients or their attenders/relatives have displayed abusive, unruly, or  violent behaviour and have refused to leave the hospital despite the patient recovering and fit  for discharge.  

In order to combat such behaviour of such persons, several State governments have enacted  laws to protect hospital property and medical personnel from damage/harm. 23 States/Union  Territories have enacted specific legislation on the topic as listed out below. 

The Government of Tamil Nadu has enacted the Tamil Nadu Medicare Service Persons and  Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Act,  2008 (“The Act”), which provides for specific punishments in the case of “any harm, injury or  endangering the life or intimidation, obstruction or hindrance” to any medicare service person  or property.  

Under the Act, violence to hospital personnel are offences which are cognizable, non-bailable,  and may lead to punishment with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three  years, but which may extend to ten years and with a fine. Further, in case of damage to property,  the person shall be liable to pay compensation for the damage or loss caused to the property. 

Thus, whenever there is unnecessary harassment that is being caused by a  patient/family/attenders due to any issue, we recommend that in consultation with Group legal  Advisor, Corporate Compliance & Management, that (i) an FIR is filed with the Police clearly  documenting the abusive/ unruly/ violent/ intimidatory behaviour of the patient/ attenders/ 

relatives, invoking the provisions of the relevant legislation (ii) steps are taken with the support  of the police to discharge the patient or shift the patient to a government hospital or one of their  choice. If the Apollo centre is transferring the patient in their ambulance, please ensure  adequate medical care is provided enroute. 

Please note that if the case is an emergency, then the patient must be treated, and discharge  cannot happen until stabilisation of the medical issue. Also, please ensure that nowhere is it  recorded whether in the complaint before the police or the discharge summary that the patient  was being discharged/transferred due to non-payment of hospital bills.

Annex 1: List of States