Awareness about consumer protection act and medical negligence among private and government medical college & hospital faculty members

Abstract

The Consumer Protection Act 1986 provides protection to the rights of consumers and redressal of consumer disputes. Medical profession was included within its ambit in 1995. Since then large number of patients and consumer organizations are approaching the consumer courts for the redressal of their grievances against doctors and hospitals. The current study was conducted to know awareness about CPA and medical negligence among medical and surgical specialists working in Private and Govt. Medical Colleges. It was found that the awareness about CPA and medical negligence among the medical as well as surgical specialists was unsatisfactory. A total of 75% of medical specialists working in Private Medical College scored very poor to poor and 25% scored moderate to good. 80% of medical specialists working in Govt. Medical College scored very poor to poor and 20% scored moderate. 60% of surgical specialists working in Private Medical College scored very poor to poor and 25% scored moderate to good and 50% of surgical specialists working in Govt. Medical College scored very poor to poor and 50% scored moderate to excellent.