To avoid the prospect of violence against doctors at public hospitals, BMC has said that only those holding the post of lecturers or higher ranks, and not resident doctors, can break news about a patient’s death to relatives.
To avoid the prospect of violence against doctors at public hospitals, BMC has said that only those holding the post of lecturers or higher ranks, and not resident doctors, can break news about a patient’s death to relatives. The decision was taken on Monday at a meeting held by public health officials at Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital, Sion.
“A resident doctor is already overburdened. We can’t expect a resident doctor to break this news to relatives,” said Idzes Kundan, additional municipal commissioner, BMC. “There has to be division of responsibility.”
Over the last three years, there have been several incidents of resident doctors being assaulted by patients’ relatives, accusing them of negligence. Last week, two resident doctors at Sir JJ Hospital were beaten by relatives after a patient’s death.
“The system is allowing doctors to hold a private practice but that doesn’t mean their attention should be away from the public hospital,” Kundan said. The BMC will soon issue a circular to all the deans with these directions.
The study had also highlighted that tertiary care hospitals are overburdened however facilities at peripheral hospitals are largely underutilised. “Patients with minor illness also end up coming to the casualty at tertiary health centres, because of which sufficient time cannot be given to patients who actually need emergency service,” the finding said.“There is a need for better communication between doctors and relatives,” the findings of the study highlighted
At the meeting, health officials also decided that medicines for patients with non- communicable diseases (NCD) should be prescribed for a period of one month. At present the prescription is only for a period of 14 days, said Dr Avinash Supe, dean, KEM hospital, Parel.
“Treatment for NCDs last for a long time. With this move patients won’t have to keep coming fortnightly,” Dr Supe added.
Doctors at the meeting said there is a need to screen patients. “There needs to be a centre within the hospital to screen patients, so emergency patients are taken up first,” Kundan added.
“A resident doctor is already overburdened. We can’t expect a resident doctor to break this news to relatives,” said Idzes Kundan, additional municipal commissioner, BMC. “There has to be division of responsibility.”
Over the last three years, there have been several incidents of resident doctors being assaulted by patients’ relatives, accusing them of negligence. Last week, two resident doctors at Sir JJ Hospital were beaten by relatives after a patient’s death.
“The system is allowing doctors to hold a private practice but that doesn’t mean their attention should be away from the public hospital,” Kundan said. The BMC will soon issue a circular to all the deans with these directions.
The study had also highlighted that tertiary care hospitals are overburdened however facilities at peripheral hospitals are largely underutilised. “Patients with minor illness also end up coming to the casualty at tertiary health centres, because of which sufficient time cannot be given to patients who actually need emergency service,” the finding said.“There is a need for better communication between doctors and relatives,” the findings of the study highlighted
At the meeting, health officials also decided that medicines for patients with non- communicable diseases (NCD) should be prescribed for a period of one month. At present the prescription is only for a period of 14 days, said Dr Avinash Supe, dean, KEM hospital, Parel.
“Treatment for NCDs last for a long time. With this move patients won’t have to keep coming fortnightly,” Dr Supe added.
Doctors at the meeting said there is a need to screen patients. “There needs to be a centre within the hospital to screen patients, so emergency patients are taken up first,” Kundan added.