Probable weakening of Private Hospitals Regulations Bill?

The amendment to Karnataka Private Medical Institutions Bill, to be implemented with an intention to safeguard the interest of the patients need not cause any anxiety among the medical professionals and institutions. Several new points are being added that are beneficial to the medical institutions assured K N Rajanna, chairman of joint investigation committee of legislature, reported Kannada Prabha.

Speaking after a meeting held at Vidhana Soudha Conference Hall where various organisations expressed their opinions, K N Rajanna said the medical professionals need not fear about punishment and fines being imposed on them.  The amendment is being implemented only to warn those who misuse the innocence of people. The government has no intention of creating a rift between the doctors and patients. The Bill aims at safeguarding everybody’s interests, he explained.

Several points are added to the amendment that is beneficial to the medical institutions. The applications seeking licence for medical practice and renewal will have to dispatched within stipulated time period.  If the licence is not sanctioned within the stipulated time,  it can be considered deemed and practice can be started. The medical fees will not be uniform. It will be decided based on the quality of service provided and facilities. A committee to tackle this will be formed.  The committee will invite objections and inspect before fixing the fees.  The government is also contemplating paying the hospital charges of a patient who dies at the hospital and if the family cannot afford to pay the fees.

The various organisations that participated in the meeting expressed varied opinions and suggestions. The various health projects of the State Government are available only in 4 hospitals. They should be extended to other hospitals also.  There was a request to provide financial aid from the government to start corporate hospitals. Some suggested that government insurance should be strengthened.  One suggestion was to make provision in the ordinance to regulate the prices of medicines.

• Ordinance to Private Hospitals Regulations Act
• Ordinance
• Private hospitals
• Private hospitals Karnataka
• karnataka