Hospitals to face action over billing irregularities
It has come to light that despite repeated warnings and reminders, many healthcare facilities in the district fail to display tariff details.
Speaking to The Hindu on Monday, Dr Rani announced: 'Special inspection teams will be formed to conduct checks at every healthcare facility in the district. Hospitals must display the fee structure boards at the entrance and patient waiting areas. Hidden charges and lack of transparency in billing will not be tolerated.'
She further added that many hospitals in Vizianagaram were hiding the fee structure and collecting excess fees without informing the patients. Additionally, patients were being forced to make payments at the cash counters where staff fail to provide proper answers.
Another serious concern that Dr Rani highlighted was that many hospitals are not issuing hard copies of prescriptions and test reports to patients. Instead, doctors are sending the prescriptions directly to the in-house pharmacies, leaving patients unable to purchase medicines from elsewhere.
'Outstation patients have complained that they cannot buy medicines in their hometowns due to the absence of physical prescriptions,' Dr Rani added. However, hospital authorities claim that reports and prescriptions are being sent to the WhatsApp numbers of patients.
Interestingly, when The Hindu tried to find out how poor patients who do not use smartphones can access their reports and prescriptions, none of the hospitals responded.
B. Ramachandra Reddy, an attendant of a patient said: 'Sometimes, WhatsApp messages may be deleted. How can patients retrieve deleted data? Additionally, in case of an emergency when patients are referred to hospitals in Visakhapatnam and other places, it is not easy to take printouts. Hard copies are essential for maintaining lifelong medical records. '
Dr. Rani reiterated that hospitals must adopt transparent procedures in billing and treatment. It is mandatory. 'Patients with grievances can contact us and we will take action on errant hospital authorities,' she added.
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