Districts on the periphery of Lucknow will soon benefit from a government initiative that looks to bring down the number of patients who come here to seek the expert opinion of doctors at major state-run health facilities. The ‘hub-n-spoke’ model is being developed by the state medical education and health departments.
“To start with, the neurology and cardiology wings of Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS) and King George’s Medical University (KGMU) will render their services to patients of stroke and cardiac ailments in the peripheral districts,” said principal secretary of medical education and health Partha Sarthi Sen Sharma.
“Since we have ramped up diagnostic facilities across the state, the hub-n-spoke model will enable doctors in the periphery districts to conduct diagnostic tests in their respective areas and consult doctors at the hub (KGMU or RMLIMS). They won’t have to refer patients here,” said the principal secretary.
Apart from the rural areas in Lucknow, districts that will benefit from the initiative initially are Sitapur, Basti, Gonda, Barabanki, Hardoi, Unnao and Ayodhya. More may be added gradually as the network between the two state capital hospitals and hospitals in other districts grows.
“Under the model, diagnosis and primary treatment can be managed within an hour of a patient reaching a hospital in a peripheral district. After referral, a patient can take up to 7 hours to reach here from a peripheral district,” said KGMU’s cardiology department head Prof Rishi Sethi said.
{{/usCountry}}“Under the model, diagnosis and primary treatment can be managed within an hour of a patient reaching a hospital in a peripheral district. After referral, a patient can take up to 7 hours to reach here from a peripheral district,” said KGMU’s cardiology department head Prof Rishi Sethi said.
{{/usCountry}}In healthcare, the model involves a central facility (the hub) providing specialised services and expertise, while peripheral facilities (spokes) connect to the hub for support and expert guidance. The hub typically handles complex procedures, diagnostics, and consultations, while the spokes focus on routine care and initial patient assessment/management and work under guidance, which often reduces the chances of referring patients to bigger healthcare facilities.
Also, doctors in the periphery districts are being trained to counsel patients to visit hospitals or higher centres as advised, and they should not avoid treatment after initial relief.
Once the selected districts run the model successfully, more districts may be connected. Apart from the two medical institutions, more will start acting as hubs to rope in the maximum number of districts, said the officials.