Sub-divisional & dist hosps asked to set up Swasthya Sathi help desks

kolkata: State Health department has directed all the sub-divisional, district hospitals and medical colleges to set up Swasthya Sathi help desks so that the cards can be prepared on an emergency basis for the patients, who require immediate admission, but do not have a Swasthya Sathi card.

Health department has also issued directives to the government hospital, instructing them to ensure that the patients cannot be denied treatment even if they do not have a Swasthya Sathi card. The patients not having cards should be admitted to the hospital and then Swasthya Sathi help desks will arrange for their cards on an urgent basis. Health department a few days ago issued an order saying that Swasthya Sathi cards would be compulsory for treatment at government hospitals as well. Earlier, Swasthya Sathi scheme was applicable for private health establishments.

According to the latest order, patients can also produce state government health scheme cards, Central government health scheme cards, ESI cards and office identity cards during admission at government hospitals. "There was confusion among some people that treatment will not be given at the government hospitals if they do not have Swasthya Sathi cards. There is nothing to worry about as people can avail treatment without Swasthya Sathi cards. The help desks in hospitals will take care of the issue and arrange cards for them as early as possible," a senior health official said. The step has been taken for better profiling of patients, assessing the past health records of patients, developing proper clinical protocols and also to maintain a centralised data system so that hospitals can pull out all the past records relating to a patient in case of a transfer from one hospital to another.

"The new method will help the hospitals and health professionals to provide better treatment to the patients as they can easily access the patients data and past treatment. Under the Swasthya Sathi scheme, all the details will remain captured against the patient's card. Swasthya Sathi cards related data will also be captured in the Swasthya Sathi portal," the official added.