PATNA, July 12 -- The state health department issued detailed operational guidelines directing district and sub-divisional hospitals to strictly regulate patient referrals to higher centres, including medical college hospitals. strengthen specialist consultations and ensure digital documentation of every referral through the BHAVYA portal, an integrated digital health platform that enables hospitals to maintain electronic health records, register patients, manage OPD/IPD services, record referrals, and facilitate seamless sharing of patient information across government health facilities, thereby ensuring continuity of care and improved monitoring, state health department officials said on Sunday.

The directive, issued on July 10 by Biha...