‘Now Resident docs to be trained for good communication with patients’
   Date :10-May-2019

 Padmashri Dr T P Lahane
 
By Vikas Vaidya:
 
Department of Medical Education and Research (DMER), Maharashtra Government has an ambitious plan to refurbish tertiary healthcare in Maharashtra. It involves better patient care, training to residents on communication skill to improve relationship with patients, to make arrangement for relatives of patients to stay, etc. Padmashri Dr T P Lahane, Director of DMER, a compassionate doctor, visionary administrator was in city to inspect two tertiary care units in Nagpur, has unveiled the plan while talking to ‘The Hitavada’. Here are the excerpts:
 
Q:There are several occasions when patients, relatives face problem of arrogance by Residents. If somebody opposes, Resident doctors come up with strike hampering hospital services.
What are your plans to resolve the issue?
 
A: This issue is very critical and such conflicts do take place especially during night duties. To end up this issue I have decided to hold counselling sessions every four months. We have discussed it with Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) who has agreed to cooperate with us. The first session will be held at Nair Hospital. We will teach them to know the condition of patients, their relatives, communicate with them in a proper way, understand their issues, guide them. We have come up with Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and it will be given to the Residents. The SOP will cover the above points. Now, Junior Resident-I will not be posted in casualty. We will monitor the sessions also to check the difference in their behaviour. This will also strengthen doctor-patient relationship too.
 
Q: Recently, Government Medical Colleges running hospitals faced shortage of medicines. Why did it happen and have you taken steps so that it would not happen again?
A: Yes. I am aware about the problems. There are several reasons and I don’t want to go into those details. I can only say things are improving. Secondly, we will be empowering Deans more so that they can purchase medicines at their levels. In budgetary allocations, while approving money for medicines some 20% amount is deducted out of total grant. I have recommended not to cut a single penny since it comes under essential services. My recommendation has been approved principly.
 
Q: The quality of patient care in tertiary hospitals is dwindling. Do you have any plan to improve the condition?
A: Of course, every Government Hospital needs to take care of poor and needy. Patients care is our priority. On many occasions, patients are kept in the casualty for two long days, they should be moved from there within two hours. Now we will be deploying one Medical Officer on permanent basis at Casualty. Secondly, I have asked all the deans to let at least a lecturer see the patients before the final diagnosis is made. At present, Residents check and patients are sent home. In such cases right diagnosis is not made and patients have to come to hospital frequently. I shall not allow this to happen.
 
Q: It is common problem visible in Government hospitals wherein, relatives of the patients have no place to stay in hospital premises. As you did in J J Hospital, Mumbai where you set up building where relatives can stay, will you develop the concept in other GMCs in State too?
A: I used to see relatives living in bad condition and I became sad. Due to financial crunch, Government can not spend money for each and everything. So I took help from such private corporates who gave funds under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to us. I am planning to apply same concept in other GMCs too.
 
Q: Several posts of teachers are vacant in State Government Medical College and Hospitals (GMCH) so teachers are posted on temporary basis to the GMCHs facing inspection from Medical Council of India (MCI). Can this unnecessary exercise not be ended?
A: I know. We will be conducting post-filling exercise where all the vacancies will be removed. Every GMCH will have all the posts prescribed by MCI filled so they don’t have to borrow teachers from other GMCH. One more issue is there, related to transfers. People don’t want to get transferred. I am very much open on the issue and we will try to make it flexible.
 
Q: What are you planning to do about research?
A: Our department has the word Research but unfortunately there is no research taking place. I shall be focussing on this aspect too. We will encourage, students, faculties to do research especially on the topics helpful for mankind. I shall be talking to Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) to chalk out some plan to promote research.
 
Q: There are several issues for which Deans have to visit Mumbai where the meetings are convened. Can it be not stopped?
A: I was the Dean for several years and I can understanding the pains through which we undergo. Now we have made maximum things available online. Since I took charge I did not convene a single meeting of Deans. We had asked Deans to send the names of the persons who will work as Nodal Officers having responsibility of particular component. Deans have to come to Mumbai for medicine purchase, discuss the issue of various health schemes, equipment, etc. It was wastage of time. Now for every work there is Nodal Officer. Similarly, there will be Chief Executive Officer for the administration work. We have created Whatsapp groups for these officers who inform us the developments regarding their works and we take action. We contact Dean if needed through Video Conferencing. Earlier, Deans were held responsible for all the issues. Now Nodal Officers and CEOs will be given the responsibility. This will ease the workload of Dean who can concentrate on other hospital-related works.