VELLORE: With the final assessment by central teams nearing completion, three government hospitals in Vellore district are expected to receive quality assurance certification which enables them to get central funds for improving health care facilities and services.
Separate central teams visited the government hospital in Tirupattur from June 10 to 12 and Ambur hospital during June 12-14 to assess the facilities available in the hospitals, services offered and care given to patients, besides cross-checking records.
Another team is to visit the government hospital in Sholingur during 24-26 June for the assessment.
The quality assurance certificate is provided for government hospitals under the national quality assurance programme by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare aimed at improving health care facilities in the public hospitals and ensure rights of the patients.
Meeting the standards set by the national quality assurance programme involves several steps and takes a long time.
“We have actually set in motion the process for enhancing the standards of the three hospitals for getting the certification a year ago. Initially, we held internal assessment, then state level assessment done by doctors from outstation. A consultant was also appointed to go through the process,” Dr M Yasmin, joint director, Tamil Nadu Medical Services, told Express on Monday.
She informed that the certification will be awarded within a month from the completion of the final assessment process.
The government hospital in Tirupattur has a bed strength of 210 with a steady flow of a maximum of 3000 outpatients every day while the 109-bed hospital in Ambur is witnessing foot falls of up to 2000 a day.
About 1000 outpatients visit the 72-bed government hospital in Sholingur.
During the assessment, the central team comprising of consultants, do hold patient interview, staff interview, verification of records and facilities available in the hospitals.
If a hospital is awarded the quality assurance certification, it will receive central funds at the rate of Rs. 10,000 per bed per year for a period of five years. It can continue to receive the funds if the certification is renewed further.
Four other government hospitals in the district located at Wallajah, Gudiyatham, Vaniyambadi and Arakkonam are also in line for getting the quality assurance accreditation, according to Yasmin.
The process for enhancing the facilities to meet the standards of the national quality assurance programme has already been initiated in these hospitals.