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Kalyan-Dombivli civic body brings 80% beds in all private hospitals under its control
Kalyan The Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) will control 80% of the beds in all registered private hospitals, except for the ones reserved for paediatric
Kalyan The Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) will control 80% of the beds in all registered private hospitals, except for the ones reserved for paediatric intensive care units (PICU), neonatal intensive care units (NICU), day-care units and haemodialysis. The step is taken to ensure that Covid-19 as well as Non-Covid patients receive treatment at reasonable rates amid the coronavirus outbreak.
As per the new directions the hospital has to display all the beds available, including the 80% which is now under KDMC control and reveal how many of them are vacant, filled as well as the rates fixed by the government and the rates of the hospital on a board outside the hospital. Likewise, a patient and his/her relatives visiting the hospital need to be given detailed information about the charges during admission.
“If a patient requests for a bed which is under the 80% category and if it is available, it will be mandatory for the hospital to treat the patient. Also, it will not be possible for hospitals to charge patients more than the rate fixed by the government for the treatment. There can be no discrimination against patients. The corporation already issued notices to two hospitals for charging exorbitant rates,”said Vijay Suryavanshi, commissioner, KDMC.
Patients can complain about the exorbitant rates charged by the hospital or the unavailability of beds on 0251-2211866 in the war room of civic headquarters, KDMC said. Staffers who refuse to treat Covid-19 patients will also face action and lose their licences.
Social activist Sreeniwas Ghanekar,52, who is also the founder of Alert Citizens’ Group, Kalyan, said,” We have been complaining about the unfair practices at hospitals and have asked the civic body to come up with some regulations on it. Now with the civic body deciding to take over 80% beds in the hospitals, we will also monitor the entire process and make sure people get treatment at reasonable rates within the city.”
