Medics at work at Lok Nayak Hospital. (Photo: Amit Mehra)
The decision to admit a Covid-19 patient in a private hospital will be taken by a senior nursing officer from a Delhi government hospital, as per a state health department order. According to the order, official Covid protocol regarding admission, testing and discharge of patients is not being followed by hospitals, which is coming in the way of efficient and effective management of the pandemic.
As per guidelines issued by the Delhi government, on the suggestions of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, all mild or asymptomatic patients have to be discharged from hospitals within 24 hours of admission. The Delhi government has now decided to appoint senior nursing officers at 68 private hospitals and nursing homes, which have reserved 20% beds for Covid-19 patients, to monitor this.
“The reception/helpdesk at the hospital shall fill up the information in prescribed proforma, in respect of each Covid-positive patient who is to be admitted. On the basis of the information, the senior nursing officer shall take a decision on the admission of the aforesaid patients in the respective private Covid hospital strictly as per the prescribed protocol,” said the order issued by Delhi Health Secretary Padmini Singla.
As per the guidelines, each private medical facility has been attached to a government hospital which will provide the staff.
Some in the medical fraternity wondered whether the order will create another difficulty in the already tedious admission process. “What if a senior consultant in the hospital feels that a patient needs to be admitted but the nursing officer does not suggest admission? If the nursing officer is going to take a call on the patient’s admission or treatment, what are we supposed to do?” asked a senior doctor from a private hospital, requesting anonymity.
Government hospitals said the decision might lead to a staff crunch. As per the order, the nursing officer will be placed round the clock at a private hospital. This means at least two-three nursing officers will have to be deployed in different shifts.
A medical superintendent of a Delhi government hospital said, “Such a decision, without taking into account the ground reality of the acute shortage of nurses, will negatively affect government hospitals. We are going to write to the health department over this.”