THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Women and Children (W&C) Hospital at Thycaud is gearing up to become the first hospital in the district to get the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare providers (NABH) certification.
The Government has initiated several steps to fulfil the guidelines to get the NABH certification. The main step taken towards achieving this goal was the implementation of the Smart Card, which was introduced here for the first time in a government hospital in the State. The implementation of this card, which is being carried out in a phased manner, is expected to be completed within two weeks.
The smart card has replaced the conventional OP tickets and registers as the microchip in the card stores all the basic information of the patients, in addition to the details of the diagnosis, treatment offered and the medicines prescribed. The details in the card are also stored in the main server installed in the hospital. During the subsequent visits by the patient to the hospital, the doctor will only have to swipe the card in the card reader, which will display the case history of the patient in his computer.
The smart cards were first issued only to the patients coming to the OP wing and the casualty of this hospital. But now, it has been extended to all kinds of registration. For entering the patient and treatment details, each doctor has been given the service of an additional nursing assistant.
On Tuesday, 12 more nursing assistants will be joining service at the W&C Hospital. These nursing staff will be working as female helpers in each ward. A decision has also been taken to provide more nursing, cleaning and security staff. Already, five more security staff have been posted to restrict the entry of the visitors here. It also being planned to ban the use of plastic inside the hospital.
Though the NABH has specific norms on the necessary infrastructure and the upgradation of equipment, the W&C Hospital has already met the requirements with the commissioning of the new block.
Apart from this hospital, the State Government has selected 18 other hospitals for this accreditation across the State, at least one from each district.
Patients will be the biggest beneficiaries under this system. It will result in high quality of care and patient safety. The patients will get services of quality medical staff. Rights of patients will be respected and protected. Not just this, accreditation to a hospital enables demonstration of commitment to quality care. Accreditation will provide access to reliable and certified information on facilities, infrastructure and level of care.
trivandrum@epmltd.com
