Dr Pallavi Saple says she learnt that some staff recommend private lab tests to patients; says touts were roaming inside hospital
A notice pasted on the hospital walls barring private pathology lab staff
The alleged notorious nexus between private diagnostic laboratories and some medical staffers at the state’s largest medical facility—Sir JJ Hospital—has come to a halt, thanks to the hospital’s new dean, Dr Pallavi Saple. A strict message has been sent to everyone and notices have been pasted on the hospital walls stating, “Outsider medical agencies and pathology labs are not allowed in hospital premises.”
A source from the hospital said, “For the past few months, many who got admitted in the evening were told to get basic blood tests done from outside, even when an in-house lab is available. Private lab employees used to move freely in and out of the hospital and JJ staff would write down certain tests on a sheet of paper and also provide the mobile number of the person from the private lab. Patient’s relatives would then call the number, following which their representative would come and collect the samples.”
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Dr Pallavi Saple
The hospital has a total of 1,351 beds and around 50-100 patients get admitted every day.
A senior official from the administration department said, “Witnessing the exploitation of patients, wherein they were referred to private diagnostic laboratories by hospital staff, even for most basic diagnostic tests, the dean has pulled up the in-house laboratory for not being able to perform even simple tests such as Complete Blood Count, Lipid Panel or HB1AC. All private laboratory and medical representatives are barred from entering the premises. Overnight, the in-house laboratory’s machinery has become efficient and is no longer referring patients outside.”
Dr Saple was appointed as the dean in 2019, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic she was sent to Malegaon. Last week, she returned to take charge and found the scam. She also heard about the ongoing crisis of shortage of medicines, non-surgical items, and other essential items.
Speaking to mid-day, Dr Saple said, “I heard that patients were being sent out for basic tests and private lab staffers were roaming in the hospital. So, I passed directives that nobody from private labs and medical agencies should be allowed to enter the hospital premises. We will see that none of our patients are sent out for common or other tests that are available in our hospital. The shortage of medicines and other essential items will also be taken care of soon.”
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