90% plaints against private hosps this yr about billing
Kolkata: Around 90% of the 2,058 complaints against private hospitals, nursing homes and other clinical establishments—this works out to be nine out of 10 complaints—that reached the West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission this year till May pertain to billing issues.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
"Most of the complaints we received pertain to billing, making it important to make the billing system transparent. While our order was in the form of an advisory, the govt's move will make it a law," said WBCERC chairperson Ashim Kumar Banerjee. The advisory Banerjee mentioned was the one issued by the health panel in 2020, asking private facilities to set up display boards with details, such as package, rates for OPD, bed, doctor fees.
The Bengal govt on Monday moved a bill in the state assembly, seeking to make it mandatory for private health facilities not to inflate their fixed treatment rates, including packages, with hidden charges. The bill says for treatment costs not covered under fixed rates, the patient party must be informed of the possible costs and any rise must be communicated within 24 hours. The bill mandates that the rates must be properly displayed at hospitals and on websites.
While private hospitals appreciated the state decision to move to The West Bengal Clinical Establishments (Registration, Regulation and Transparency) (Amendment) Bill 2025, they said they hoped it would be practical. "This is a good move by the govt as there needs to be some form of regulation, especially in the billing part so that hidden charges are not extracted from patients," said Peerless Hospital CEO Sudipta Mitra.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
Most private hospitals in Kolkata have boards displaying charges on certain packages, bed charges, doctor fees, OPD rates. But hospitals pointed out it was not possible to display all the charges, especially those of tests, that numbered beyond 2,000. "Due to these billing disputes, the public has a negative idea about private hospitals. We are yet to know the nitty-gritty of this move, but such a step towards making transparent billing is welcome," said Subhashis Datta, GM (operations), Ruby General Hospital.
In the bill, the state has also tried to address the inordinate delay in issuing or renewing licences to private hospitals, proposing to cap it at 90 days. "We don't want private facilities to suffer for the want of licence renewal unnecessarily. If they don't get a renewed licence from the department within 90 days, it can be extended for 90 more days. This is a temporary measure. We have brought an amendment with more stringent measures, under which the govt will ensure the licence application will be disposed of within the period," said Chandrima Bhattacharya, junior health minister.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
9 hours ago
- Time of India
KGMU eyes record with Yoga Mudra
Lucknow: KGMU will mark the occasion with a mass "Surya Namaskar Yoga Mudra" session at Sardar Patel Ground, starting 6am. The event aims to set a world record through synchronized participation across institutions at 7am, following directives from the Governor Anandiben Patel. KGMU vice chancellor Prof Soniya Nityanand has instructed all faculty members, staff and students to take part in the event. Balrampur Hospital will also organise a special session from 6:30am to 7:30am at its new OPD building. Similar events will also take place at district hospitals such as Lokbandhu, BRD and SPM Civil Hospital. Supporting the widespread observance, upper nagar ayukta Lalit Kumar said around 300 parks under LMC will host yoga activities. TNN
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Time of India
PHC opens at site in Kashi where illegal slaughterhouse operated prior to 2017
Varanasi: An illegal slaughterhouse has been transformed into a primary health centre in Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At the site, a one-storey building was constructed on approximately 1,300 square feet of land with two OPD facilities—one for women and one for men. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Additionally, a pharmacy will also come up. The PHC came into existence on the initiative of Neelkanth Tiwari, former UP minister and MLA from Varanasi South assembly constituency. Tiwari inaugurated the PHC on Thursday in the Adivisheshwar ward's Patthar Gali.. The Yogi Adityanath govt shut down illegal slaughterhouses in 2017 to protect cows and prevent trafficking. Following this, Tiwari initiated the establishment of the health centre at this site and laid the foundation for its construction. During the inauguration ceremony, 21 Vedic priests conducted purification rituals with Vedic chants and the recitation of Sundarkand. Tiwari said that during the COVID-19 crisis everyone relied on govt hospitals and these hospitals and primary health centres played a crucial role in keeping people healthy. "Therefore, it was essential to organise these centres to provide significant relief through primary treatment," he said, while adding, "There are a total of five primary health centres in the Varanasi South constituency, and all primary centres, which previously operated in small rented rooms, now have their own buildings. All health centres are functioning smoothly, and preparations are underway to enhance other advanced medical facilities at these centres.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Indian Express
Why yoga is the best therapy for doctors: Surgeons and physicians say how pranayama and asanas keep them going
A nine-hour surgery, emergency and bleeding on the table, anxious patients spilling out of the OPD and a dying patient's relative clinging on to hope — doctors have a tough time holding on to so many lifelines and processing collective anxiety. Little wonder then that a 2021 study showed that 75 per cent of doctors in India were under severe stress. And if there is one solution that takes care of both their physical and mental well-being without eating into their schedule, it is yoga. Dr Sonal Gupta, Director & HOD, Neurosurgery, Fortis, New Delhi As a neurosurgeon, I have to be on my feet for about seven to eight hours at a stretch. And since there's little focus on ergonomics in neurosurgery, the operating room environment and surgical techniques aren't designed to minimise physical strain. So I cannot imagine any day without my morning yoga, which keeps my knee joints stable and my spine supple. In fact, if I go without yoga for a week, I get a neck pain so severe that I have to be on pain relievers and muscle relaxants. Since I have to bend over the patient, twist my torso and assume awkward postures for an extended time period, my lumbar spine gets stressed. Certain surgical instruments and procedures require repetitive hand and wrist movements. Brain surgeries are particularly demanding as they require the surgeon to look through the endoscope continuously without moving and simultaneously keeping their arms extended to use tools like drills and retractors. Such surgeries strain the muscles and tendons in my neck and back. More than physical strain, I need to focus sharp, something that pranayama helps me with. I give myself an hour every day for my exercise routines, five times a week. I do yoga at least thrice a week, more if I am not lined up for early morning surgery. But I do it in combination with cardio exercises and strength training. Yoga itself can be considered a form of strength training. I begin my routine with 10-15 minutes of yoga and then 45 minutes of other drills. In the evenings, I play badminton to unwind. I do eight to 10 sets of surya namaskar daily. I usually follow it up with the cobra pose or Bhujangasana, which opens up the shoulder blades, neck and collar bones. It improves circulation, lung function, massages and regulates the adrenal and thyroid glands. The table top pose, or Bharmanasana, is another of my favourites as it strengthens the wrists, arms, shoulders and core while stretching and lengthening the spine. Additionally, it can improve posture, balance and focus while relieving stress. The cow pose or Bitilasana is a good spine arch routine that straightens the spine, improves abdominal and diaphragmatic breathing capabilities and opens up stiff shoulders. I have made yoga a part of my patient recovery protocol. Convalescents who need screws to stabilise the spine and help bones heal are recommended yoga after three months. Those without screws can take it up in six weeks. Yoga is best for them in strengthening their core. Dr Santoshi Janardan Nagaonkar, Director, Urological Oncology & Robotic Surgery, Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, Mumbai I try to do yoga at least four times a week and combine it with my cardio and strength training. Surya namaskar is my all-in-one routine and helps me when I am travelling and find limited windows to exercise. In fact, yoga has many stretches that can rival those of Pilates. But it doesn't require gadgets. Whatever happens, I never give up on pranayama. Breath exercises are good for metabolism. They help lower cortisol levels and keep me calm, so that my decision-making is more judicious. Laparoscopic surgery strains your shoulders and neck muscles. But as a robotic surgeon sitting at a console, where both my neck and hands are flexed and I need to operate the joystick for every precise movement, pressure builds up in my elbows and wrists. Sometimes you need to take quick action, so your hands need to be flexible and agile. Only yoga poses allow wrist-focussed stretches, rotations and fingertip grips. I prescribe yoga to all my patients, particularly recently diagnosed ones, so that they can retain their positivity and body confidence. For those in chemotherapy, yoga helps increase their strength and muscle mass so that they can complete their cycles. Dr Balaraja S, Department of Internal Medicine, PGI, Chandigarh One hour, six days a week. That's my yoga routine, no matter how busy my OPD is. It improves my mood, sleep quality and sense of satiety. It helps me develop a positive attitude, relieving stress and fatigue. At one time I was into stress eating. With yoga, my craving for snacking has gone down. I sleep well now. I started practising yoga consistently since last year and have lost 13 kg. When I started out, it was tough to get into the flow. Being overweight, stretching was not easy. But in just a month, I could feel my body loosen up, become flexible and full of energy. Apart from pranayama, my favourites include Tadasana, Chakrasana, Sarvangasana, Halasana, Bhujanasana and Dhanurasana, all of which strengthen the core, firm up the abdomen, reduce anxiety and improve organ functions. In fact, after I noticed the fat-busting effects of yoga, I wrote a thesis on the efficacy of yoga in improving fatty liver. We found that yoga with dietary calorie restriction is not inferior to exercise with dietary calorie restriction. In fact, we were able to control liver inflammation and fibrosis in our test subjects within six months. As a doctor, I have developed an Obesity Yoga Protocol for patients, which consists of a series of asanas, pranayama and meditation, along with dietary and lifestyle interventions. We also have a Y-Break protocol at PGI of about five to seven minutes, where healthcare workers do a specific set of relaxation techniques during lunch or tea break. That helps us jump right back in. Dr Deepak Kumar Chitralli, nephrologist & transplant physician, Manipal Hospital, Bengaluru I have been practising yoga for the last five years, 6 am to 7 am, five days a week. Two days I reserve for other intense exercises. Surya namaskara can be a full body workout when you do it at a faster pace. Other than that I do a lot of forward-bending asanas because they improve flexibility, stretch the spine and hamstrings, massage abdominal organs and can help relieve back pain and stiffness. These also reduce stress and improve digestion. Initially, I could not understand if yoga was indeed changing me. Till people told me that I looked visibly relaxed, calmer and in control. This is important for a doctor so that he does not transmit his stress levels to his already anxious patients, most of whom are on dialysis or are transplant recipients. In fact, post-transplant patients can do gentle asanas as they are restorative and benefit from pranayama. These days I can see more patients and assess them better in the same consultation time. I do not feel fatigued even after seeing 50 of them back-to-back. Still if I feel stretched, I take a 15-minute pranayama break, snap back and move to the next patient.
