Independent Inquiry By KMPDC Confirms That Nairobi Women Hospital Didn’t Align With Ethics Of Good Clinical Practice

Following viral campaigns on social media in the past weeks again Nairobi Women Hospital in which they were accused of overcharging, engaging in unethical medical practices such us manipulating admissions and discharging of patients, an inquiry was instituted.

Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council went ahead and formed an independent inquiry to look into the accusations that did rounds. According to the screenshots from WhatsApp groups that were being circulated showed a pattern where allegedly, NWH managers, doctors, nurses and staff were ordering unnecessary tests, admitting patients unnecessarily and delaying the discharge of patients to eventually increase the fee in an alleged bid to maximize on profits.

Accusations stretched to expose an in-house trend where staff were given targets to beat which meant going beyond set ethical standards of admissions and discharges.

In a press statement that we’ve since learnt was made by a PR firm, Engage BM, the council appeared to have exonerated NWH. In the statement sent to media houses, the report had found the hospital’s rates was consistent with the market’s benchmarks.

According to the original report seen by Kenya Insights, the Council found that senior management officers in the WhatsApp groups were greatly incompetent and unable to control and manage the nature and language used.

Report also found out there was an admission by NWH witness that the admitting clinical officer had to communicate with Hospital’s Quality Assurance Team through WhatsApp to get approval for approval to get admission. This is unethical as the decision to admit or discharge a patient should be reliant on the clinical officer independent decision and not influenced by WhatsApp communication.

Report also indicates that from WhatsApp communications and evidence collected by the Council, there were instances where the Hospital’s Management overruled the decisions made by medical officers in relations to discharges. Clinical officers and nurses made up part of the management team.

KMPDC report find NWH of crossing the ethical boundaries this was after they admitted to the authenticity of the WhatsApp screenshots that were circulating. ‘Upon hearing the parties, it was clear that the business approach for the Hospital should align with ethics of good clinical practice more so as relates to operational decisions taking precedence over physician autonomy.’ Reads part of the report. “NWH be admonished for findings.” Report continued.

However, the report clears the Nairobi Women’s Hospital of overcharging allegations. Council says the facility charged fees not above the recommended rates as provided in the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Rules, 2016.

Report recommended for NWH to review the company’s governance structure to ensure that clear and effective communication lines are maintained.

Whole sounding a warning, the report also recommended that the hospital put in place and implement policy that guarantees incorporation of practicing medical doctors and clinical officers in senior management so as to guide the organization on the ethics of good clinical practice.