Unnecessary referrals from DH Bandipora to Sgr hospitals continues unabated

Bandipora, Jan 26: Unnecessary referrals of patients from district Bandipora to tertiary care hospitals Srinager goes unchecked putting burden on men and machinery at the hospitals.
Several doctors posted at tertiary care hospitals in the city said that unnecessary referrals of patients from district hospital Bandipora is over burdening these hospitals.
“We receive dozens of patients on a daily basis who can be managed at Sub-centres and district hospital Bandipora easily but they are being referred here,” said a doctor working at SMHS Hospital on the conditions of anonymity.
He said that there is a difference of facilities available at district hospital and tertiary care hospitals but most of the time around 30 percent of patients are being referred unnecessarily who can be easily treated at sub centres and district hospitals.
Sources in Bandipora hospital said that most of the pregnant women who come to the srinagar hospitals via referrals have no complications and later have deliveries (normal or C-Section) without any trouble.
They said that so far the government has issued many circulars in order to avoid unnecessary referrals but the ground situation remains the same.
They said that the government has already improved the infrastructure status of peripheral hospitals of peripherals but it must be improved further so that doctors won’t give any excuse and unnecessary referrals can be avoided.
In May 2022, the government had ordered an audit of all referrals from district level hospitals to tertiary care hospitals in order to optimize the manpower available in peripheries and patient services across the healthcare system.
Another senior doctor posted at SKIMS in Srinagar hospital said that if they question patients about referrals, it makes attendants violent. “There are some patients who can be treated at district hospitals and sub centres but are referred to tertiary care hospitals,” he said.
Meanwhile, an official, however, denied the complaints and stated that the patients having serious complications are being shifted to Srinagar hospitals. (KNO)