‘Don’t charge patients if reports submitted within 15 days of consulting doc’

kolkata: The West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission (WBCERC) on Monday asked the Institute of Neuroscience (INK) Hospital in Mullick Bazar not to collect charges from a patient if he or she submits investigation reports within 15 days from the day of consulting doctors.

Earlier, a patient had to pay the full charge of consulting a doctor in the OPD if he or she reports to the hospital with investigation reports seven days after he or she consulted the doctor in the OPD.

While hearing a case, the WBCERC Chairperson Justice (retired) Ashim Banerjee told the hospital if a patient consults a doctor for reporting within 15 days from the first day of consulting doctor, the patient should no longer be required to pay doctor’s consultation fees. A patient’s family lodged a complaint before the commission that the patient’s party needs to collect the investigation reports from the other hospital buildings which have come up in the vicinity.

The Commission also directed the hospital that they have to provide a hassle-free service to the patients. The hospital authorities have to ensure that the patients get the investigation reports from the main building where the OPD is situated. Patients should not be moving from one place to the other.

The hospital has to ensure the patients’ families get the reports from the main building, said Justice (retired)

Ashim Banerjee.