It will be mandatory for such establishments to prominently display rates charged for every medical procedure, abide by prescribed minimum standards of facilities and services provided to patients
The state government will bring in a legislation for the registration and regulation of clinical establishments in the state. It will be mandatory for such establishments to prominently display rates charged for every medical procedure, abide by prescribed minimum standards of facilities and services provided to patients. The announcement in this regard was made by the state public health minister Dr Deepak Sawant in the legislative assembly after legislators from ruling and opposition parties complained against exorbitant charges recovered by private hospitals from patients.
The proposed legislation will be on the lines of Centre's Clinical Establishment (Registration & Regulation) Act. The previous Congress-NCP government had attempted to table the legislation during its rule but could not move it in the legislature ahead of assembly elections in October 2014.
An officer from the state public health department, who formulated the bill, told DNA,'' Special attention is given to the protection of the interest of patients, and we have put in place a grievance redressal mechanism at all establishments. All clinics will have to display rates charged for every medical procedure or treatment. They will also have to circulate a printed booklet. If they violate this section, clinical establishments will face penal action.''
The officer said that the rate charged by Mumbai's leading hospital and that by the hospital in the Tier II city cannot be compared. But he added that patients will know in advance the rates charged due to the provision of its display.
Further, the appropriate authority for the registration and regulation of these clinical establishments will be formed and they will be delegated with powers to divide such establishments into different categories based on the rates charged by them. ''With categories such as A, B, C, D depending on the charges, patients will have the option to select one of them based on their financial condition,'' the officer added.
The officer said the proposed legislation will be applicable to about 1,50,000 clinical establishments comprising hospitals, nursing homes, maternity homes and those establishments provide treatment which needs pathological, radiological, chemical and biological investigations. No person will be able to run a clinical establishment unless it has been duly registered in accordance with the provisions of the legislation.
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