In the wake of the pandemic, we have new insights into the importance of our healthcare ecosystem and the health and wellbeing of our community. Unfortunately, it has also caused an unexpected and somewhat overwhelming burden on hospitals and standard healthcare practices. This has led to a negative impact on patient admissions and their right to treatment.
Many recent cases have shown that overburdened medical practitioners and medical facilities tried to curb the flow of patients by refusing treatment to cases that visibly show COVID symptoms or even otherwise. The fear of infection is quite a strong one that discourages healthcare practitioners to treat patients with COVID in the fear of getting infected or spreading it further.
Many hospitals in Kolkata and other parts of Eastern India have refused to admit patients and treat them due to similar fears. In the light of many such happenings, AMRI Hospitals has launched a #NoRefusal campaign across all its hospitals. The management and staff at AMRI Hospitals have come forward and launched this campaign, sharing the message for patients’ rights to avail medical care and emergency services, no matter the nature of their emergencies.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has compiled a Charter of Patients’ Rights in 2018, which comprises 17 basic rights for patient, compiled from various Regulations and Acts that govern medical care. The Ministry had requested the State Governments to adopt the Charter.
Under this Charter, the Right to Emergency Care for any patient is mandatory at all hospitals, private or state-run, without asking for advance payment and regardless of the payment capacity of the patient.
Not only do patients have the right to timely admission and healthcare, they also have the right to safety and quality care, as per the standards defined by BIS/FSSAI. Therefore, the management at AMRI Hospitals has designed a ‘no refusal’ policy that enables patients to:
• Access any emergency care, regardless of their symptoms
• Access safe and quality care with necessary COVID protocols
• Receive treatment regardless of a diagnosis of COVID-19 or otherwise
The Right to Non-Discrimination safeguards all patients from any type of discrimination and prohibits healthcare providers from withholding treatment on the basis of existing illnesses or conditions.
In times of COVID-19, discrimination has become rampant, based on physical symptoms and existing conditions, and AMRI has launched the campaign in a bid to squash such discrimination.
For COVID patients, AMRI Hospitals has introduced a host of new measures, including COVID Virtual Home Service, minimum OPD waiting time, priority appointments for senior citizens, special emergency wards, and accommodation of all suspected patients.
Under the #norefusal campaign, AMRI Hospitals provides emergency care along with a single point of contact 24X7. All those admitted will receive utmost care and attention with daily monitoring, diet and frequent testing to track the progress of patients.
“For us, patient wellbeing comes first. Our doors are open and we are putting patient health and safety above our own.” This mantra is at the heart of this #norefusal campaign launched by AMRI. Those who are interested can find out more about this campaign using the hashtag #norefusal on various social media channels, where AMRI regularly publishes updates.
