'Private hospitals can't deny treatment under Swasthya Sathi scheme'

Kolkata: The West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission (WBCERC) on Wednesday said that it has adopted a 'zero-tolerance' policy against refusal of patients under Swasthya Sathi card by the private hospitals.

WBCERC Chairperson Justice (retired) Ashim Kumar Banerjee once again categorically said that no private hospitals will be allowed to refuse patients under Swasthya Sathi scheme. If any hospital has any issue relating to the packages and other such things then they can take up the matter with the Swasthya Sathi wing of the health department or the health commission but they cannot deny treatment.

"Our primary objective is to ensure that all private hospitals provide treatment to the patients under this scheme without a single refusal. We have received around 10 complaints related to Swasthya Sathi refusal in the last one and half months. Around 7 applications have been selected and a hearing will be done in this regard on November 3," Banerjee said.

He further stated that some private hospitals are providing good treatment under Swasthya Sathi while some hospitals have raised some issues. Around 3-4 private hospitals have not yet started treatment under Swasthya Sathi. "We have spoken to all these 3-4 private hospitals and they have assured us that they would start treatment and fully cooperate with the government.

Some instances have surfaced where patients or their family members did not produce Swasthya Sathi cards during admission as a result the hospitals treated them as cash patients. But the hospitals have to treat a patient under the Swasthya Sathi scheme the moment he/she produces the Swasthya Sathi card.

"Some patients do not produce the card during admission with an apprehension that they may be denied. If anyone produces the card two days after admission, the hospital will only have to charge for two days but for the remaining days of treatment, the patient would be considered as a Swasthya Sathi patient. No hospitals will be able to refuse Swasthya Sathi cards.

The WBCERC also clarified that patients are entitled to get gynaecological treatment at private hospitals under the Swasthya Sathi scheme. As delivery cases do not fall under the category, private hospitals, however, will not be able to deny gynaecological treatment not pertaining to delivery.

"Some hospitals are refusing treatment as their thumb impressions do not match during admission. We have already discussed the issue. No private hospitals can refuse treatment under the health scheme even if the thumb impressions do not match. Patients can contact the health commission office in such cases," Justice (retired) Banerjee said.