Latest news with #ClinicalEstablishments(RegistrationandRegulation)Act
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Hyderabad Collector orders crackdown on quacks illegally practising medicine
Hyderabad District Collector Hari Chandana Dasari has directed Health department officials to carry out inspections of hospitals where quacks are practising medicine without proper qualifications. She instructed that such practices be thoroughly investigated and legal action initiated wherever necessary. Speaking at the District-Level Registering Authority Committee meeting on Tuesday, the Collector said that a special drive is underway to crackdown on unregistered clinics operating during the night without permission. 'Such violations compromise patient safety and must be dealt with firmly,' she said. The Collector also stressed that all permissions for running medical establishments must strictly adhere to the provisions of the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010, and its amended rules from 2022. She instructed that applications for new registrations or renewals be granted only after thorough verification of documents and credentials. The Collector further asked police officials to verify inspection checklists and focus on the medical staff's qualifications and any existing complaints or criminal cases linked to hospitals or practitioners.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Hyderabad Collector orders crackdown on AYUSH doctors illegally practising allopathy
Hyderabad District Collector Hari Chandana Dasari has directed Health department officials to carry out inspections of hospitals where AYUSH practitioners are allegedly offering allopathic treatment without proper qualifications. She instructed that such practices be thoroughly investigated and legal action initiated wherever necessary. Speaking at the District-Level Registering Authority Committee meeting on Tuesday, the Collector said that a special drive is underway to crackdown on unregistered clinics operating during the night without permission. 'Such violations compromise patient safety and must be dealt with firmly,' she said. The Collector also stressed that all permissions for running medical establishments must strictly adhere to the provisions of the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010, and its amended rules from 2022. She instructed that applications for new registrations or renewals be granted only after thorough verification of documents and credentials. The Collector further asked police officials to verify inspection checklists and focus on the medical staff's qualifications and any existing complaints or criminal cases linked to hospitals or practitioners.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Hospitals to face action over billing irregularities
District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) S. Jeevan Rani has issued a stern warning to hospitals, nursing homes, diagnostic centres, and laboratories across Vizianagaram district for failing to prominently display tariff charts, as mandated under the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010. 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.
Time of India
30-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Telangana to take up high-level probe into IVF, surrogacy clinics amid alarming regulatory gaps
Hyderabad: Shaken by the exposure of a fertility racket that continued operations despite earlier arrests, the Telangana govt is preparing to launch a high-level inquiry into the enforcement of the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act and the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act. The move comes amid serious concerns that glaring loopholes in oversight have allowed unlicensed and unethical fertility practices to flourish unchecked, particularly in Hyderabad. The state currently has 381 registered in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) clinics, with 157 concentrated in Hyderabad alone, making it a key hub for fertility services. The upcoming inquiry will focus on identifying lapses in monitoring and ensuring that fertility and surrogacy procedures meet legal and ethical standards. Authorities say preliminary checks have already revealed troubling irregularities. In the most recent case, the fertility clinic at the heart of the scandal was found to be operating without a valid licence, and shockingly, no action had been taken against fake doctors associated with the operation. "We must find out how these clinics are slipping through the cracks," a senior health official said, adding that a thorough, state-wide investigation is imminent. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like New Singapore Spots Raising the Bar Epicure Asia Read More Undo You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad In response, the health department is preparing to launch a special enforcement drive across the state to scrutinise all clinics offering IVF and surrogacy services. These centres fall into four regulatory categories: Sperm and egg banks, assisted reproductive technology (ART) centres, IVF clinics and surrogacy centres. At present, only two IVF centres operate within govt hospitals, raising concerns about the lack of public sector alternatives and the urgent need to regulate the burgeoning private fertility market more tightly. Officials have urged couples considering fertility treatments to thoroughly verify a clinic's credentials. Prospective patients should demand evidence of registration, legal compliance, and valid licensing to ensure the safety and legitimacy of their treatments. The upcoming inquiry, officials say, will not only aim to clean up the system but also send a strong message that violations in this sensitive sector will not be tolerated.
Hans India
16-06-2025
- Health
- Hans India
Private hospitals fleecing patients left, right and centre
Hyderabad: Taking K Chandrashekarundue advantage of the lack of qualified doctors who could be engaged in regulatory oversight, most of the private and corporate hospitals, including those in the city, are flouting all the norms prescribed by the State Government in line with the centrally enacted Clinical Establishment (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010 and collecting exorbitant charges for various procedures and treatments for in-patients with various health complications. According to healthcare experts, most of the hospitals in the city are violating even the elementary rule requiring mandatory display of the costs of surgical treatments prominently in their hospitals. Majority of the corporate healthcare centres fleece patients admitted for surgeries or with other health complications requiring long-term hospitalisation. Instead of going by the largely standardised charges for various procedures, their charges vary from person to person depending on the condition of the patient and whether he is insured. As soon as a patient is admitted, the hospitals make discreet enquiries about whether he or she is insured. If the patient is insured, they begin with a battery of diagnostic tests, not all of which may be required for the patient. If say a neuro patient is admitted, regardless of the protocol required in the particular case, they immediately go for X-ray, CT scan, MRI, 2dEcho, DSA and more before zeroing on the probable cause of the neuro issue. This is so even if the patient has a history of TIAs (transient ischaemic attacks). The trend these days is to advise the patient to go for a stent, which can cost from Rs 36,000, going up to lakhs and still leave the patient almost in a vegetative state if things go wrong. For most families, the battery of tests alone cost between Rs 30,000 and Rs 50,000. This amount is usually collected in cash as advance amount. Later, the consumables, operation theater expenses etc. for the procedure are charged as per the whims and fancies of the hospital in disregard of standardised rates. Thus, even 'insured' patients have to shell out a lot of money, be they middle class or lower middle class. As per a research conducted in India on the 'Out of Pocket expenditure' (OOPE), which is the expenditure people incur on their own for accessing healthcare, about 2.2 per cent of the population is pushed into poverty every year due to the amount of money they spend on healthcare. It is not that hospitals are left to their own devices. Hospitals across the country are required to display the charges for their services and procedures in a conspicuous place in English and in the local language, as per the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010. Non-compliance can result in monetary penalties, and in severe cases, the hospital's registration can also be cancelled. Healthcare experts point out that while the government alone cannot cope with the massive demand for procedures and services, private entities are encouraged. This should not be done without regulatory oversight. That is, there should be clear limits on pricing for various procedures. The Telangana Medical Council (TGMC), which has been active in cracking the whip on quacks and imposters offering medical services, has done very little when it comes to restricting exorbitant pricing in hospitals. The TGMC Vice Chairman Dr G Srinivas conceded that many hospitals do not follow the rules. However, he said that the State government would have to act against errant hospitals as per the Clinical Establishment Act. 'We also get complaints for excessive charging and we report it to the state government for further action,' said Dr Srinivas. The administration is plagued with lack of staff to take up regular inspection of the hospitals suspected to be flouting rules. It may be mentioned here that the State Government adopted the Clinical Establishment Act enacted by the Centre in 2023 and all the rules prescribed in the Act should be automatically followed by the State government. Sources said that with the start of the recruitment drive by the government, the question of scarcity of doctors can be addressed and inspections taken up. The Director of Public Health, Dr B Ravinder Nayak, told The Hans India that as per the rules, hospitals needs to display the price list and inform the patients in advance. When asked about any remedial action to help those who have been wronged, the Director said that if any patient feels the pricing has been exorbitant, they can approach the District Registration Authority (DRA), which is headed by the District Collector. The DRA would be forwarding the cases to the DMHO. He further clarified that the Centre as per the Act has been trying for uniformity of the pricing and it would take some time, but it will be implemented for sure.
