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How to file RTI to private hospital for patient medical records ? Blog1

Disclaimer:

Why am I, a doctor, speaking about RTI?

Because healthcare is no longer held in the hands—or hearts—of doctors.
It has shifted into files, fine print, and financial protocols.

Medicine was once an art guided by judgment and compassion.
Today, treatment follows algorithms, hospital empanelment rules,
insurance clauses hidden in footnotes,
and taxes that punish care as commerce.

When decisions move from bedside to balance sheet,
Silence is no longer professionalism.
It is surrender.


You don’t have to go to America—America’s healthcare model is coming to India.

Global investors are buying major hospital chains. Insurance-linked networks are rising. Small affordable hospitals are disappearing.

Result? Higher bills, forced insurance, healthcare driven by ROI—not patients.

Better infrastructure is welcome. US-style profiteering is not.

Healthcare must remain a public good, not a financial product.

How to file RTI to private hospital for patient medical records?

Private hospitals in India are not directly under the RTI Act, 2005, but you can access patient medical records indirectly by filing RTI with a connected public authority (e.g., health department, Medical Council, or insurance scheme regulator), as ruled by the Central Information Commission (CIC) 

Eligibility Check

Confirm the hospital's public links first:

  • Empanelled under Ayushman Bharat (PMJAY), CGHS, ESIC, or state schemes.

  • Regulated by National Medical Commission (NMC) or received government subsidies/funds.

  • If none, request directly from hospital under MCI Ethics Regulations 2002, citing patient rights.

Step-by-Step Process

  1. Identify the Public Information Officer (PIO): Target the relevant public authority, e.g., District Health Officer, State Health Agency, or NMC for the hospital's area.

  2. Draft RTI application: Use English/Hindi; specify patient name, treatment dates, hospital details, and exact records sought (e.g., "discharge summary, test reports from DD/MM/YYYY"). Include declaration as Indian citizen.

  3. Pay fee: ₹10 via IPO/court fee stamp; attach for BPL if applicable.[​

  4. File: Online via rtionline.gov.in (select ministry/dept) or speed post to PIO.

  5. Follow-up: Expect response in 30 days; file first appeal to First Appellate Authority if denied, then second to CIC.

Hospital AffiliationFile RTI With
Ayushman Bharat empanelledNational/State Health Authority
CGHS/ESIC registeredCGHS Directorate or ESIC HQ
NMC/MCI regulatedNational Medical Commission
Government land/subsidyDistrict Collector

CIC orders (e.g., Prabhat Kumar case) mandate records provision within 72 hours for deaths/negligence via this route.

IN THE SECOND POST—HOW TO FILL THE RTI APPLICATION FORM?

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