Crying baby gets the milk? The governmentality of grievance redressal for patient rights violations in Karnataka, India

Bibliographic Data

ID21880275
AuthorsMeena Putturaj (0000-0002-7029-1144, University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology, corresponding author), Anja Krumeich (0000-0001-5399-3868, Maastricht University), Prashanth Nuggehalli Srinivas (0000-0003-0968-0826, Institute of Public Health Bengaluru), Nora Engel (0000-0002-1823-3908, Maastricht University), Bart Criel (0000-0002-1452-0088, Instituut voor Tropische Geneeskunde), Van Belle (0000-0003-2074-0359, Instituut voor Tropische Geneeskunde)
Year2022
Volume7
Issue5
Pagese008626
Publication date2022-05-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueBMJ Global Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2059-7908 • E-ISSN: 2059-7908
PublisherBMJ (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1136/bmjgh-2022-008626
PMID35623644
OpenAlexW4281613546
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited48

BACKGROUND: Patient rights aim to protect the dignity of healthcare-seeking individuals. Realisation of these rights is predicated on effective grievance redressal for the victims of patient rights violations. METHODS: We used a critical case (that yields the most information) of patient rights violations reported in Karnataka state (South India) to explore the power dynamics involved in resolving grievances raised by healthcare-seeking individuals. Using interviews, media reports and other documents pertaining to the case, we explored the 'governmentality' of grievance redressal for patient rights violations, that is, the interaction of micropractices and techniques of power employed by actors to govern the processes and outcomes. We also examined whether existing governmentality ensured procedural and substantive justice to care-seeking individuals. RESULTS: Collective action was necessary by the aggrieved women in terms of protests, media engagement, petitions and follow-up to ensure that the State accepted a complaint against a medical professional. Each institution, and especially the medical professional council, exercised its power by problematising the grievance in its own way which was distinct from the problematisation of the grievance by the collective. The State bureaucracy enacted its power by creating a maze of organisational units and by fragmenting the grievance redressal across various bureaucratic units. CONCLUSION: There is a need for measures guaranteeing accountability, transparency, promptness, fairness, credibility and trustworthiness in the patient grievance redressal system. Governmentality as a framework enabled to study how subjects (care-seeking individuals) are rendered governable and resist dominant forces in the grievance redressal system for patient rights violations

Accountability · Collective action · Credibility · Governmentality · Grievance · Health care · Human rights · Political science · Ethics in medical practice · Healthcare Decision-Making and Restraints · Law · Medical Malpractice and Liability Issues