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Govt. to keep a close watch on healthcare delivery
Consumers can now hope to get better quality treatment as hospitals across the country would soon be required to adhere to some common basic quality standards for healthcare delivery. The health ministry has initiated formulating guidelines for a national accreditation for hospitals in order to ensure uniform, standard delivery and services system in hospitals across the country. Besides, the health ministry is also considering relaxing the visa rules for medical tourists.
The health ministry move follows a charter of demand submitted by the Indian Healthcare Federation. The Federation has suggested putting in place a national accreditation for all hospitals so that healthcare facilities across the country follow a minimum quality service standard. The Federation has also been demanding infrastructure status for the healthcare industry so that they get access to
concessional financing from financial institutions.
(Ref : Economic Times, November 20, 2004)
Medical Devices
CDSCO committee to chart structure of medical device regulatory division
Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) is seriously working on a credible system to take care of the approval and post approval surveillance of medical devices in the country. The committee is to suggest practical measures that are in tune with the Mashelkar Committee recommendation on duality upgradation of Indian drug regulatory system. The Mashelkar Panel had recommended the inclusion of a specific definition for “medical devices” under Section 3 of Drugs and Cosmetics Act. The mandate of this division was to serve as a “regulatory mechanism for certification, quality assurance and post marketing surveillance of imported as well as locally made medical devices.
(Ref : PHARMABIZ, November 11, 2004)
IT Standards
Govt plans IT standards for healthcare units
Access to quality healthcare in rural areas could soon be a reality if a new government initiative fructifies. The ministry of communications and IT is in the process of developing standards for digital information across healthcare facilities to facilitate implementation of telemedicine systems.
Once the recommendations are accepted, the standards for digital information will be adopted by healthcare facilities across the country. The standards will not only enable compatibility of systems within the country but also internationally
Currently, most healthcare facilities across the country use proprietary information systems. And though the healthcare sector is increasingly adopting cutting edge solutions in the area of information technology, there still seems to be an issue of compatibility between different organizations, which is crucial in a telemedicine set up.
[Ref: The Economic Times, Dec. 21, 2002]
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