CUTTACK: Even as the SCB Medical College and Hospital is in the line of fire over absenteeism among senior doctors and frequent complaints of negligence in treatment, the district administration has offered support to streamline the patient information, guidance and complaint registration system. The administration would set up an integrated helpline-cum-patient information-cum-complaint registration centre at a vantage point in the premier medical institution of the State. It would provide necessary infrastructure for the purpose through the Red Cross Society and the hospital would extend staff to man the centre. The staff would be trained in handling queries and appropriately guiding patients to different departments or facilities while also registering complaints and allegations. Lack of information system has posed a big problem for the patients who come in from far flung areas of the State, in most cases in very critical stages. Valuable time is lost as the attendants run around not knowing where to go or whom to approach with the condition of the patient getting more acute in the process. The patients are also not aware of the different schemes and facilities in the hospital. The Information Centre would provide all assistance to the patients and attendance from guiding them to departments and doctors to helping them with the procedures under different schemes such as Orissa State Treatment Fund (OSTF). There will be a dedicated section to deal with destitute cases. The Centre would be interconnected with all departments and provide latest information of availability of doctors with duty charts. The location of the Centre would be decided in coordination with hospital authorities and the High Court-appointed Advocates’ Committee. Apart from a complaint box, toll-free numbers would be provided for seeking information as well as registering complaints, Collector Girish SN said. Meanwhile, the growing number of allegations of negligence and absence of senior doctors during duty hours in different departments has incurred the wrath of the Revenue Divisional Commissioner Central PK Mohapatra. In a strongly worded order to the SCBMCH authorities, Mohapatra has drawn attention to allegations that proper treatment is not provided to the patients by the senior doctors from the ranks of the assistant professors, associate professors to professors and Heads of Departments. While describing the situation as pathetic, the RDC has directed all doctors to not remain absent from the hospital during the duty hours from 9 am to 5 pm. Any violation would attract disciplinary action as well as stopping of salaries, he has warned.
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