Sassoon asks families to check ICU bed availability amid death-after-delay allegation

Amid an allegation that a critically ill patient died after a delay in hospitalisation, B J Government Medical College (BJMC) and Sassoon General Hospital (SGH) has urged relatives to check ICU bed availability before bringing critically ill patients to the facility.

Hospital authorities said at a press conference on Monday that their intensive care units remain fully occupied, with five to six patients waiting for ICU beds every day. The hospital has also started asking families to register in advance for ICU beds through its helpline.

“Relatives who need an ICU bed for a patient should register in advance, either in person or by telephone. If a patient is brought suddenly without prior registration, an ICU bed may not be available immediately,” said Dr Eknath Pawar, dean of BJMC and SGH.

On August 27, senior citizen Laxmi Babar, who had suffered a cerebrovascular accident and undergone cardiac surgery, was brought to Sassoon in an intubated condition. The hospital said all ICU ventilator beds were occupied and advised her relatives to shift her to the emergency department while providing artificial respiration with an Ambu bag. She was later declared “brought dead” after doctors found no pulse, blood pressure or cardiac activity. Her family, however, alleged that she died due to a delay in hospitalisation.

According to officials, SGH sees an average of 1,629 outpatients daily, while around 1,036 patients are admitted to its inpatient departments. Hospital officials said ICU beds are allotted from a waiting list maintained by the nurse in charge of each ICU as beds become vacant. Beds are freed when patients recover or die.

Hospitals in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad also refer critically ill patients to Sassoon at the last moment, while several patients from Sangli, Satara, Kolhapur, Ahilyanagar and Beed also reach the hospital for advanced treatment.

The rising patient load has put pressure on the hospital’s infrastructure. The administration has submitted a proposal to the state government to add 60 ICU beds — 40 medical and 20 surgical — and is seeking additional doctors and nurses.

The hospital administration has appealed to relatives to contact its helpline before bringing critically ill patients for ICU admission.

SGH ICU helpline: 9225330535