Meghalaya High Court orders hospital to reclassify dialysis as inpatient procedure

The High Court of Meghalaya has directed Bethany Hospital in Shillong to reclassify haemodialysis treatments for a retired government employee's wife as inpatient procedures rather than outpatient services, potentially resolving a long-standing reimbursement dispute.

In their February 26 judgment, Chief Justice IP Mukerji and Justice W Diengdoh observed that while dialysis is technically performed in outpatient departments, the process "consumes at least four to six hours every day" with patients confined to bed during treatment.

The court ruled in favour of Parimal Ghosh, a retired Administrative Officer with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), who had sought reimbursement for his wife's kidney failure treatments since 2020.

"We direct Bethany Hospital, Shillong to treat the haemodialysis process undergone by the respondent's wife as one on hospitalisation, correct the records accordingly and issue a certificate to that effect," the bench stated in its order.

The ruling also directs ICAR to process Ghosh's application to switch from fixed medical allowances to a more comprehensive reimbursement scheme within four weeks, noting that such conversion "is possible" according to the government's own affidavit.