City hospitals ‘overspend’ on poor’s treatment

While many underprivileged patients are turned down by city hospitals, charity office says they spend more than required for the needy

While Pune charity commissioner office is flooded with complaints by poor patients blaming private hospitals for denied treatment and holding patients’ discharge for unpaid bills, the office claims that charity hospitals have done ‘commendable’ job and spend much more than their quota for poor patients. The data shows that out of the total 59 charity hospitals in the city, many have utilised the Indigent Patient Fund (IPF) and Ruby Hall Clinic tops the list, having spent Rs 12.7 crore between June 2015 and June 2016 even as its quota was only Rs 8.87 crore.

Any medical institution (hospital) whose annual expenditure exceeds Rs five lakh and those hospitals that are using the government lands, additional Floor Space Index (FSI) with reasonable rates from government, comes under the charity as per various clauses of Bombay Public Trust Act. As per the provisions laid down in the act, charity hospitals should reserve and earmark 10 per cent of the total number of operational beds to indigent patients (below poverty line or whose annual income is less than Rs 50,000) and provide medical treatment to the poor for free.

All these charity hospitals should reserve and earmark 10 per cent of the total number of operational beds at concessional rate (50 per cent) to the weaker section patients (whose annual income is between Rs 50,000 and Rs one lakh). Each public charitable hospital creates separate fund — Indigent Patient Fund (IPF) — and credit two per cent of gross billing of all patients (other than indigent and weaker section patients) without any deduction.

“Most of the hospitals have overspent the money from their IPF quota. It is their responsibility and even if any hospital refuses treatment, citizens can approach us and make complaint,” said Navanath Jagtap, Additional Charity Commissioner (Hospitals), Pune district, adding that every month hospitals have to submit report to the charity office regarding the IPF amount credited and spent.

The charity office data for 13 months (June 2015-June 2016) shows Ruby Hall using Rs 12.7 crore of IPF while it had credited Rs 8.87 crore. The hospital treated 2,170 patients. Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital spent Rs 7.34 crore from Rs 6.37 crore IPF account and treated 7,155 patients. Jehangir Hospital stands third in the city as it spent Rs 4.87 crore of Rs 3.55 crore IPF limits and treated 1,088 patients. KEM Hospital spent Rs 3.27 crore out of Rs 2 crore and treated 2,799 patients. Inlaks and Budhrani Hospital spent Rs 2.75 crore and credited Rs 1.63 crore towards the IPF patients and treated 8,639 patients.

dnyaneshwar.bhonde@goldensparrow.com

Originally published on The Golden Sparrow