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PMC cuts referrals by 30% after hiring specialists
To address a shortage of specialists due to low pay, Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram led an initiative to make salaries more competitive. Monthly pay for specialist doctors was increased from ₹1 lakh to ₹2.5 lakh.
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has reduced patient referrals by over 30% within three months of appointing specialist doctors and revising pay scales, officials said on Friday. The move aims to strengthen public healthcare and reduce dependence on tertiary hospitals.
To address a shortage of specialists due to low pay, Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram led an initiative to make salaries more competitive. Monthly pay for specialist doctors was increased from ₹1 lakh to ₹2.5 lakh.
In January, the civic body appointed five gynaecologists, five paediatricians, two MD physicians and one anaesthetist at Kamla Nehru Hospital, the PMC’s only general hospital and a tertiary care facility. Referrals to higher centres dropped from 574 cases between October and December 2025 to 403 cases between January and March 2026, and are expected to decline further, officials said.
The availability of round-the-clock specialist care has also increased surgeries and outpatient (OPD) footfall.
Dr Sanjeev Wavare, assistant health chief of PMC, said the move has significantly improved patient outcomes. “Patients are now getting timely treatment from specialists at municipal hospitals itself. Early diagnosis and intervention are helping reduce complications and mortality. Waiting time in OPD and IPD has also come down,” he said.
He added that 24x7 specialist availability has strengthened emergency response. “In critical cases, immediate expert care is now available, which was earlier a major challenge,” he said.
Dr Nina Borade, PMC health chief, said the initiative has reduced the burden on government hospitals and lowered patient expenses. “With quality specialist services now available in PMC hospitals, citizens are less dependent on private facilities. This has helped save both time and treatment costs for patients,” she said.
Officials said the move has improved hospital efficiency, reduced doctors’ workload and boosted training and academic activities. It has also strengthened public confidence in municipal healthcare services. “The quality of patient care and the hospital’s overall service standards have also improved significantly,” Borade added.
