Broker unaware of any medical malpractice insurance in Guyana

Feb 11, 2020 News

A majority of doctors and private hospitals in Guyana have no malpractice insurance.

Insurance broker, Bish Panday

A professional liability insurance, it is critical in helping provide doctors and hospitals with coverage in case of lawsuits.
According to head of P&P Insurance Brokers, Bish Panday, the insurance is normal in other parts of the world. However, in Guyana, this is not so.
In fact, Panday disclosed yesterday, he is unaware of any doctor who has taken such insurance coverage.
“Medical malpractice insurance is an established form of insurance. I am not aware that it is normally bought in Guyana,” the official said.
According to Panday, this may not likely change anytime soon, unless the regulatory authorities in Guyana make changes as to the requirements for doctors and hospitals.
The issue of insurance in Guyana would be critical, as there have been too few cases where victims and their families have managed to successfully fight cases against doctors.
Families have complained of not receiving settlement and being forced to resort to the courts without any assurance. They have also been complaining of long waits.
According to one doctor, who operates a private clinic, malpractice insurance is expensive.
“I can tell you of maybe one doctor who has it. I am not sure. It is not a requirement. It does not need a law change. Maybe the Medical Council of Guyana, which regulates doctors, can make it a requirement for licensing.”
If that happens, a number of insurance companies may very well come knocking to provide coverage.
“I can tell you that in other countries, no hospital will hire you unless you have insurance as a doctor. If anything goes wrong, that hospital would not want to be liable.”
The spotlight came sharply down on operations of private hospitals after it became known that one of them came in under scathing criticisms from the Medical Council in 2014.
A grandfather, Edward Subryan, 74, died, with the Medical Council investigation finding that the private hospital and two surgeons did not provide proper health care.
The investigation came after the family, peeved by the quality of medical care, complained to the Council.
The report recommended that the hospital and doctor reach an out-of-court settlement with the family. The council also found that the doctors breached protocols by not keeping proper records or relying on the patient’s past history.
During a simple colonoscopy, the patient’s colon was accidentally perforated. He died days later.
A post mortem examination found pus and fecal matter in Subryan’s chest area.
The Medical Council report said that the doctors did not meet the standards of being doctors.
The family has been fighting to have the matter closed, but hearing little.
Another family is now fighting a private hospital in court over the death of an engineer.
He reportedly died from complications during a simple hernia operation.
Recently, the same hospital mentioned in the report above came under the spotlight after a pediatrician suspiciously ordered x-rays for two children.
The family is now claiming that the tests were not needed because the doctor erred. The case is heading to court.

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