Cashless treatment for accident victims: Hospitals give positive feedback
NEW DELHI: Delhi is only Metropolitan City, where, road accidents, acid attacks and burn injuries victims are being provided free of cost treatment under Delhi government scheme. Delhi government had approved this proposal in January with a motive to save a life within ‘golden hour'.
On February 16, the Delhi government had issued certain guidelines to private hospitals and nursing homes registered in Delhi for cashless treatment of medico-legal patients.
According to Delhi Health Services, there are good feedback from various hospitals but after getting aid treatment, patients are expecting to get entire treatment free . “Accident victims think it is a drawback,” said a senior Health officer.
The guidelines cover cashless treatment of medico-legal victims of road accidents, acid attacks and thermal burn injuries that happen within Delhi. The rules also include the procedure for seeking reimbursement of cost of treatment through Delhi Arogya Kosh which has been set up for free treatment of such victims.
The guidelines deem all victims of medico-legal victims of road accidents, acid attacks, and thermal burn injuries cases in Delhi eligible for free medical treatment, irrespective of their income or domicile status.
The keeper of the hospital/nursing home has been assigned the responsibility to ensure that no medico-legal victim goes without medical treatment. Medico-legal victims are eligible to get all the facilities that indoor patients receive under the lowest income category.
All private hospitals and nursing homes in the national capital are bound to implement these guidelines, unless they have acquired prior approval of Delhi Arogya Kosh for exemption on grounds of unavailability of doctors in the night.
After administering first aid and required treatment to ensure that the patient is out of danger, the in-charge doctor has to inform the local police station, record the Daily Diary Number on the case sheet, and prepare the medico-legal document. Within six hours of arrival of the victim, the keeper of the hospital/nursing home has to inform the Delhi Arogya Kendra about the details of the victim and the mishap via e-mail or text message.
If the victim has to be transferred to a higher medical facility due to unavailability of doctors or medical equipment, the decision has to be taken within 24 hours of the arrival of the victim. The transfer will have to be done in the hospital's own ambulance, ambulance service mentioned by the keeper earlier, or CATS ambulance service of Delhi government. The Delhi Arogya Kosh has to be informed within 24 hours of the transfer.