Government lists out new measures to instill ‘discipline’ in hospitals

Health secretary J Radhakrishnan in a release issued here on Friday said use of abusive language, unparliamentary words, threatening or indulging in violence under the influence of alcohol will be strictly dealt with under the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Personnel and Service Institutions (Prevention of violence and damage or loss to people) Act, 2008. 

“Complaints regarding such problems will be lodged with the police either by the Dean or the hospital-in-charge in other government facilities,” Radhakrishnan said. 

The government would also form a committee to examine the need to strengthen the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Personnel and Service Institutions Act 2008 to make the sections more stringent. 

Only two attendants per patient (one person at a time) will be allowed in the hospital besides issuance of visitor and patient attendant passes. 

“In bigger hospitals, colour coding of passes with official stamp will be worked out in consultation with the security committee and put into practice within a fortnight,” the release said. The government also plans to instal CCTV cameras in all hospitals in a phased manner, the release said. 

The government is also contemplating measures to streamline media communication by having a separate set of guidelines for planned events, accidents and emergencies. 

“All media coverage should be done after due permission from Dean/head of the institution to avoid conflict with MCI code of ethics,” Radhakrishnan said. As an immediate measure, all cases booked under the TNMSPSI Act 2008 would be reviewed at the state level by health secretary every month and after the follow up of cases get stabilized, they would be reviewed on a quarterly basis.