Five-member panel finds no common treatment-related factor or negligence, but absence of autopsies prevents determination of the precise causes of death
A five-member inquiry panel at Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS), Rohtak, has found no negligence by doctors or hospital staff in connection with the deaths of five patients reported over the past two months.
However, the panel could not establish the exact medical causes of death because post-mortem examinations were not conducted in the cases.
Inquiry Examines Medical Records and Treatment History
The inquiry was ordered after the five deaths raised concerns about whether there was any common medical or treatment-related factor connecting the cases.
The panel reviewed the available medical records, treatment histories and the sequence of events surrounding each death.
According to the institute, the five patients had been treated in different departments and suffered from different medical conditions. Two patients had undergone dental surgeries, while the remaining three had undergone procedures in other departments.
The records reviewed by the panel did not identify any common factor linking the deaths.
Absence of Autopsy Limits Findings
The inquiry panel noted that the absence of autopsies prevented it from reaching a definitive conclusion regarding the precise causes of death.
The institute’s director said the doctors’ panel found no negligence on the part of the doctors or hospital staff involved in examining and treating the patients. However, without autopsy findings, the panel could not conclusively determine the exact cause of death.
The report also stated that the lack of post-mortem examinations limited the assessment of whether any underlying medical condition or treatment-related complication may have contributed to the deaths.
The institute further said that no common cause was identified across the five cases.
PGIMS to Make Medical Autopsies Mandatory in Unexplained Deaths
Following the inquiry, PGIMS Rohtak has decided to make medical autopsies mandatory in future cases involving unexplained deaths.
The decision is intended to ensure that when the clinical cause of death remains uncertain, post-mortem findings can provide additional medical evidence and help determine whether any treatment-related factor requires further examination.
Inquiry Report Submitted After Deadline
The inquiry report was submitted after the five-member panel missed its earlier deadline at the end of August.
The institute has not officially disclosed detailed information about the five patients or their individual medical conditions.
The latest decision is aimed at strengthening the hospital’s review process for unexplained deaths and ensuring that future investigations are supported by post-mortem evidence where medically and legally required.
Important Highlights
- A five-member PGIMS Rohtak panel investigated five patient deaths reported over two months.
- The panel found no negligence by doctors or hospital staff involved in the cases.
- The patients had been treated in different departments and had different medical conditions.
- No common medical or treatment-related factor was identified in the available records.
- The absence of autopsies prevented the panel from determining the precise causes of death.
- PGIMS has decided to make medical autopsies mandatory in future unexplained death cases.
