Emergency Treatment in Railway Empanelled Private Hospitals – Request for Implementation of orders of Railway Board regarding.
No. RSCWS/HO/CHD/Memo-Med/2021-2 Dated: 16-1-2021
Dr. Surinder Mohan Sharma,
Addl. Chief Medical Superintendent,
Northern Railway Divisional Hospital,
Ambala Cantt. — 133001
Dear Sir,
Subject: i) Improvement of Health Delivery System and Emergency Treatment in Empanelled Private Hospitals
ii) Request for implementation of orders of Railway Board regarding procedure for Medical Treatment in Empanelled Private Hospitals in Emergency & on Referral of Railway Beneficiaries (especially the Pensioners.
Ref: – i) Railway Board’s letter No. 2011/H/6-4/Policy Dated 03/02/2015
ii) Railway Board’s letter No. 2018/TransCell/Health/CGHS/eOff.No. 3270783) Dated 28/12/2020. (Copy Enclosed) Reg. Improvement of Health Delivery System and Emergency Treatment in Railway Empanelled Private Hospitals
1. RSCWS is a recognized association of Pensioners by DOP&PW Govt. of India – under Pensioners’ Portal and a Member of SCOVA (Standing Committee for Voluntary Agencies). The Society is working for the welfare of the Railway Pensioners since 1991.
2. We deeply regret to mention that the Railway Pensioners and their families who are RELHS optees, especially those residing away from Ambala, in the tri-city of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula, are being put to great hardship due to certain practices adopted in the Ambala Division, especially regarding procedure for Medical Treatment in Emergency & on Referral of Railway Beneficiaries (Pensioners) in Empaneled Private Hospitals and diagnostic centres. This is in contravention of patient friendly orders of the Railway Board and NR Head Quarters Office.
3. Your kind attention is invited to Railway Board’s letter dated 28-12-2020 referred to at SI. No. ii) above, wherein Para 6 & 7 lay down the procedure to be followed in case of Emergency Treatment:-
“6 The Hospital will intimate all instances of patients admitted as Emergencies (without prior permission) to the Railway authorities at the earliest and will within 24 Hours and Railway will revert within next 24 Hours, otherwise it will be treated as deemed approval. The empanelled hospital will clearly mention/certify the emergency condition as per MOU.
7 Railway hospital as well as empanelled hospital will share the contact number and email address for communication for this purpose and will ensure to put on the website of Railways as well as of the Hospital. The documents and approvals will be shared on the email to save the time and difficulties faced by patients. The empanelled hospitals will not insist to patients to get the approval of referral/extension from the Railway hospital. Same will be coordinated and approved on the contact number and email by the empanelled hospital and Railway Hospital.”
4. Railway Board Guidelines issued vide para 6 of letter referred to at SI. No. i) above, have laid down as under:“6. Whenever a patient needs to be referred to an outside centre for investigation, the list of empanelled diagnostic centres shall be provided to the patient/relatives and whichever centres preferred by patient, Railway shall refer the patient to that centre for that instance.”
5.1 Railway Board vide its letter NO. 2016/H-1/11/69/HOSPITAL RECOGNITION Dated 23/12/2016 Reg: “Adoption of common format of Memorandum of Understanding for empanelled hospitals” and its Annexure, has inter-alia provided as under:
i) Unified MOU covers all the beneficiaries, serving employees, retired employees and their family members who may be required to be referred to these hospitals.
ii) Emergency shall mean any condition or symptom resulting from any cause, arising suddenly and if not treated at the earliest convenience be detrimental to the health of the patient or will jeopardize the life of the patient.
iii) The Hospital will intimate the Railways of such admissions.
iv) The authorization for Emergency treatment shall be given or denied by the concerned medical officer within 24 hours of the clinical report being submitted by the Hospital concerned.
5.2 Emergency Conditions and treatment thereof had earlier also been defined and dealt with in Railway Board’s letter No. 2014/H-1/19/3/PNM dated 5-10-2015. Extracts of the relevant portion thereof is attached herewith as Annexure | for ready reference.
6. The above said orders of the Railway Board are not being followed by Ambala Division especially in respect of the conditions mentioned heretofore in this letter. All this is causing serious difficulties to the Railway Beneficiaries — especially the old age pensioners and their families.
7. It is, therefore, requested that the above cited orders of Railway Board dated 30-2-2015 & 28-12-2020 may please be implemented and all concerned be advised to follow the same.
With regards,
Yours truly,
(Harchandan Singh),
Secretary General, RSCWS
Encl: 2 Annexure
i) Copy of RB letter dated 28-12-2020
ii) Extract of MOA Rly. with Empanelled Hospital
Copy for information and early favourable action to:
I) PCMD, NR, Baroda House , New Delhi-110001
II) DRM, NR, Ambala Division, Ambala Cantt-133001
> For early implementation of orders of the Railway Board as cited above
Streamlining the Treatment in Emergency in Railway Empanelled Private Hospitals – List of Ailments to be treated as Emergency
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RSCWS
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