Hosps to be restricted from marking up prices of medicines, consumables over 50% from procurement price
The draft policy framed by the Delhi government to regularise the functioning of private hospitals in the national Capital has been delayed by two months with the department of health yet to start their work on the suggestions made by the public and some private organisations. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain had said in May that the policy will be finalised in a month.
"The suggestions have been received but all the officers are working on other projects including mohalla clinics. We were also asked to make the operation theatres functional at the earliest. Everything is lined up and the guidelines have not been finalised yet," said a senior official from the department of health.
The Delhi government on May 28 had proposed a set of regulations restricting the private hospitals and nursing homes from marking up prices of medicines and consumables over 50 per cent from their procurement price. The government had then given 30 days to the general public for suggestions on the same.
As per the draft advisory by the Delhi government, private hospitals can charge patients the maximum retail prices (MRPs) for medicines in the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), 2015, as their prices have already been capped. The department has received proposals from Indian Medical Association (IMA), Delhi Medical Association (DMA), ASSOCHAM, among others.
"We will begin the work on the guidelines in this week and the final draft will be submitted to the secretary (health) by next week," said Dr Kirti Bhushan, Director General of Health Services (DGHS).
The advisory was framed after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government formed a nine-member committee to monitor the functioning of private hospitals in the Capital. Hospitals in the region should also ensure that rates of surgery packages should be "transparent, without any hidden charges," and should disclose whether it covers any complications during the procedure.
The decision to form the committee was made following a series of meetings by the health minister with various professional and regulatory organisations representing doctors at medical institutions across Delhi. The move came after a family alleged medical negligence against Max hospital in Shalimar Bagh for wrongly declaring a baby dead.
The draft policy also prohibits private hospitals and nursing homes from refusing to hand over bodies over pending bills. DNA on January 11 had reported about the health department's draft policy. The general public can now send their suggestions on the draft policies within 30 days.
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