1. Introduction
Welcome to Athma Hospitals ("Athma," "we," "us," or "our"), a leading mental health and psychiatric care institution established in 1993 and headquartered in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India, with units in Chennai (Ashok Nagar and Kodambakkam) and Kumbakonam.
By accessing our website (athmahospitals.com), booking an appointment, using our online/tele-consultation services, or engaging with any of our digital or in-person services, you ("Patient," "Visitor," "User," or "Caregiver") agree to be bound by the following Terms & Conditions. Please read them carefully before proceeding.
2. Definitions
- Hospital / Institution refers to Athma Hospitals and all its branches.
- Patient refers to any individual seeking or receiving care at Athma Hospitals.
- Caregiver / Guardian refers to a family member, legal guardian, or authorised representative of a patient.
- Services refers to all in-person, residential, rehabilitation, tele-consultation, online, emergency, and community-based services offered by Athma Hospitals.
- Website refers to athmahospitals.com and all associated digital platforms.
3. Scope of Services
Athma Hospitals provides the following services, each subject to clinical eligibility and availability:
- Psychiatry – Outpatient (OP) and Inpatient (IP) psychiatric treatment
- De-Addiction – Holistic addiction treatment and rehabilitation
- Dementia Care – Specialised elderly and memory care
- Residential Care for Mental Illness (MI)
- Suicide Prevention – Via the Athma Suicide Prevention Centre
- Neuromodulation – Including rTMS, tDCS, ECT, VR Therapy, and Ketamine Therapy
- Online / Tele-Consultation – Remote psychiatric consultations
- Ambulance Services
- Master Mind Checkup – Psychometric and clinical assessment packages
- Community Awareness Programs
- Medicine / Pharmacy
- Partial Hospitalisation
- Emergency Psychiatric Services (24/7, reachable at 8 901 901 901 / 7 901 901 901)
Service availability may vary by location. Athma Hospitals reserves the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any service at any time without prior notice.
4. Appointment Booking & Tele-Consultation
- Appointments may be booked through our website, WhatsApp portal, or by calling our emergency helpline.
- Appointment slots are subject to doctor availability and may be rescheduled or cancelled by the hospital with reasonable notice.
- Patients are requested to arrive at least 15 minutes before their scheduled consultation time. Failure to arrive within the stipulated time may result in forfeiture of the slot.
- For tele-consultations, the patient or caregiver is responsible for ensuring a stable internet connection. Athma Hospitals is not liable for service disruptions caused by connectivity issues on the patient's end.
- Tele-consultations are not a substitute for emergency in-person care. In case of a psychiatric emergency, patients must contact our emergency helpline or visit the nearest facility immediately.
- Athma Hospitals may make a single callback attempt to confirm appointments, typically between 10:00 AM and 10:00 PM, from a withheld number.
5. Patient Rights & Responsibilities
Patient Rights:
- To receive dignified, compassionate, and non-discriminatory care regardless of caste, creed, religion, gender, or economic status.
- To be informed about their diagnosis, treatment plan, and progress in a clear and understandable manner.
- To confidentiality of their medical records in accordance with the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 (MHCA 2017).
- To seek a second opinion or request a change of treating doctor where clinically feasible.
- To withdraw consent for treatment at any point, subject to safety considerations under applicable law.
Patient Responsibilities:
- To provide accurate and complete medical, psychiatric, and personal history.
- To follow the prescribed treatment plan, attend follow-up consultations, and adhere to medication schedules.
- To treat hospital staff, doctors, and other patients with respect.
- To refrain from bringing prohibited substances (including alcohol and drugs) onto hospital premises.
- To disclose any known allergies, concurrent medications, or prior psychiatric treatment.
6. Admission & Inpatient Care
- Inpatient admission at Athma Hospitals requires a formal assessment by our clinical team. Admission is granted solely based on clinical necessity.
- For patients admitted under voluntary, semi-voluntary, or involuntary status, procedures will follow the guidelines set under the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017.
- Caregivers or legal guardians of admitted patients must remain contactable at all times and co-operate with the treating team for care planning and discharge preparation.
- Athma Hospitals reserves the right to discharge a patient if they are found to be non-compliant with treatment, engaging in behaviour that poses a risk to staff or other patients, or for any other clinically or administratively valid reason.
- Patients or their families requesting premature discharge against medical advice (LAMA – Leave Against Medical Advice) must sign a formal declaration acknowledging the associated risks.
7. Billing & Payment
- Charges for consultations, investigations, inpatient care, medications, and therapies are as per Athma Hospitals' published fee schedule, which is available at our billing desk.
- Payments are to be made in advance or at the time of service delivery, unless a prior credit arrangement has been authorised.
- Athma Hospitals issues itemised bills for all services rendered. Patients or caregivers may request a detailed statement at any time.
- Refunds, where applicable, will be processed in accordance with Athma Hospitals' refund policy. Refunds are not guaranteed for services already rendered.
- Any disputes regarding billing must be raised in writing within 7 days of receiving the invoice.
8. Confidentiality & Medical Records
- All patient information, including diagnosis, treatment history, and personal details, is strictly confidential and will not be shared with any third party without the patient's written consent, except as required by law.
- Medical records are maintained securely through our state-of-the-art EMR & HMS (Electronic Medical Records and Hospital Management System) software.
- Patients or their legal guardians may request access to medical records by submitting a formal written application. Records will be provided within a reasonable timeframe and may be subject to a nominal administrative fee.
- Athma Hospitals may share anonymised patient data for research, training, or quality improvement purposes, strictly in compliance with applicable data protection laws.
9. Emergency Services
- Athma Hospitals operates a 24/7 emergency counselling and psychiatric helpline reachable at 8 901 901 901 / 7 901 901 901.
- Emergency care is provided to all individuals in psychiatric distress, regardless of prior registration or financial status, in accordance with our ethical and legal obligations.
- In life-threatening emergencies, Athma Hospitals may administer necessary treatment without prior consent, in accordance with the MHCA 2017 and applicable medical ethics guidelines.
10. Website Use & Online Content
- The content on athmahospitals.com — including text, images, videos, and other materials — is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.
- Information on this website must not be used to self-diagnose or self-medicate. Always consult a qualified mental health professional.
- Users must not misuse the website by uploading or transmitting harmful, offensive, or unlawful content.
- Athma Hospitals does not guarantee the uninterrupted availability of its website or digital services. The website may be taken down for maintenance without prior notice.
- All intellectual property on the website, including the Athma name, logo, content, and design, belongs exclusively to Athma Hospitals. Unauthorised reproduction or commercial use is strictly prohibited.
11. Third-Party Links & Services
Our website may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., booking platforms, WhatsApp, social media). Athma Hospitals is not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or accuracy of any third-party site. Access to such sites is entirely at the user's own risk.
12. Limitation of Liability
- Athma Hospitals, its doctors, staff, and management shall not be held liable for any adverse outcome arising from: incomplete or inaccurate information provided by the patient or caregiver; failure of the patient to adhere to the prescribed treatment plan; or events outside the hospital's reasonable control (force majeure).
- The hospital's liability in any matter shall not exceed the total fees paid by the patient for the specific service in question.
- Athma Hospitals does not guarantee specific treatment outcomes. Mental health treatment results vary based on individual clinical circumstances.
13. Grievance Redressal
Patients and caregivers who have a concern or complaint regarding services rendered may:
- Speak directly to the treating doctor or nursing in-charge.
- Submit a written complaint to the hospital administration.
- Use the "Post a Query" or "Ask Expert" feature on our website.
- Contact us via our official WhatsApp helpline.
All complaints will be acknowledged within 48 hours and addressed as promptly as possible. We are committed to resolving grievances in a fair and transparent manner.
14. Photography & Recording
Photography, audio recording, or video recording of patients, staff, or hospital premises is strictly prohibited without the prior written consent of hospital administration. Violation of this policy may result in immediate removal from the premises.
15. Governing Law & Jurisdiction
These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of India. Any disputes arising out of or relating to these terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India.
16. Amendments
Athma Hospitals reserves the right to modify these Terms & Conditions at any time. Any changes will be posted on the website with an updated effective date. Continued use of our services after any such changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised terms.
