Kolkata, Aug. 25 -- In a bid to ensure treating faculties and doctors remain available to patients in government hospitals during the crucial period following admission, state Health Department decided to bar teacher-doctors from undertaking private practice on the day a patient is admitted and for the following 48 hours.
The doctors serving under the West Bengal Medical Education Service will not be able to do private practice as the restriction effectively covers a 72-hour period. An order was issued on Monday in this regard and it came into force immediately, a senior health official said. The order was aimed at ensuring that faculty members remained available for patients admitted under their care, the official added.
"The restriction will apply from the day of admission and for the next 48 hours. The intention is to ensure continuity of care and the availability of the treating faculty for admitted patients," the official said. The order is expected to directly affect private practice by faculty members of government medical colleges.
Government doctors generally have a designated admission day each week. Under the new directive, they will not be able to undertake private practice on that day and the following two days, leaving them with fewer days in the week for such practice.
Some doctors have expressed concern that the sudden restriction could affect patients who are already undergoing treatment at private hospitals under government doctors.
Some doctors raised questions about what will happen to those doctors who have two days for admitting patients in a week.
Does the order mean that these doctors will keep away from private practices throughout the week? asked a section of doctors.
However, some patients have welcomed the move, saying that ensuring the availability of doctors after admission to government hospitals could improve continuity and quality of care.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.