Reducing burden on hospitals need of the hour, says IMA general secretary

Aneesha Sareen

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 10

The Indian Medical Association (IMA), is deliberating upon reducing the burden on hospitals with decreased hospitalisation and has taken up the battle with medical insurance companies.

Disclosing this today, Dr KK Aggarwal, secretary general of the IMA, said, “We are holding meetings with insurance companies and stressing on introducing changes in their policies.”

Dr Aggarwal, who is a Padma Shri awardee, was in the city to attend the 5th Annual Conference of the Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (GAPIO).

“Reducing hospital burden with lessening the number of patients is the need of the hour. This can be done with more focus on day care or care at home. We are creating awareness among doctors to not admit a patient unless it is absolutely necessary. Insurance companies should be more patient-friendly so that doctors don’t have to necessarily keep patients at the hospital even when a simple drip is required and no procedures are involved,” said Dr Aggarwal.

“At present, insurance companies provide claim only if the patient is admitted in a hospital for at least 24 hours. Why? Can’t an alternative be found out so that less critical patients can have hospital-like facilities at home and companies can reimburse the cost,” he said.

“The modern system is toxic. Five percent of infections are caught by visitors and persons other than patients during hospitalisation. We are stressing that the hospital industry is not a hotel industry. If a person requires a simple IV (intravenous) drip, then why admit him in a hospital for the entire day while the same bed can be provided to a needier patient,” he said.