VIJAYAWADA: Many private hospitals and diagnostic centres in the city are found to be violating the stipulated guidelines by conducting tests without certified pathologists. In the process, patients are being cheated.
When some patients got their blood test reports without the registered number of the laboratory and
the signature of the lab in charge, they asked the concerned private hospital about it. The hospital staff replied that it happened by mistake. There are several instances.
“I haven’t noticed that my blood test report lacked the signature of the lab authority. Generally, after the sample is given in the labs attached to private hospitals, the report is pinned to the patient’s case sheet or directly given to the concerned doctor. Based on the report, the doctor prescribes medicines. It is not my case. Many patients are ignorant of the fact that they need to check the authentication of the lab report,” said a patient.
Speaking to TNIE, I Ramesh Babu, District Medical and Health Officer, said, “All the pathological laboratories, whether they are attached to hospitals or independent, they need to maintain set standards. The lab reports must bear the license number, details of the pathologists who performed the test and signature of the lab in charge. The reports without the licence number and signature of the lab in charge are invalid.”
The DMHO said it came to his notice that several labs attached to private hospitals were not maintaining the set standards in conducting diagnostic tests.
“We will take severe action against the unauthorised labs if the public lodge written complains in this regard. As a measure to ensure that the diagnostic centres maintain quality standards in the conduct of tests, we will conduct regular inspections henceforth. Action will be taken against unauthorised diagnostic labs,” he said.