The government is going to introduce ‘Private Chamber’ in government hospitals in the country from March this year allowing the system that doctor will sit at his government workplace after his duty hours and see patients there in private capacity.
The maximum fee per patient is proposed Tk 300 and the minimum is Tk 150. Surgery will also be available for Tk800-4,000. The proposal has been kept in the draft guidelines over the issue.
A committee formed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare prepared the guidelines titled ‘Institutional Practice Guidelines’ to introduce ‘Private Chamber’ in government hospitals in Bangladesh.
The ministry initially wants to introduce the ‘Private Chamber’ in 83 government hospitals. The ministry is planning to introduce this service in all government hospitals across the country by August 31, said an official of the ministry.
Many hospitals have already made preparation to start institutional practice.
Dr Khalilur Rahman, director at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital in Dhaka, said that they are making preparations so that they can start institutional practice from March 1 when the policy is finalised. “Doctors from each department will see their patients in the afternoon. We will make a roster ofs doctors to see their patients,” he said.
The ministry formed the committee on January 22 regarding the introduction of ‘Private Chamber’. Saidur Rahman, additional secretary of the ministry, was the head of the committee.
According to sources, the committee has held two meetings so far and prepared the draft policy how the ‘Private Chamber’ will run. The last meeting of the committee will be held today (Thursday) to finalize the policy. The policy will be finalised in the meeting and will be given to the ministry, said Saidur Rahman, head of the committee.
He also said, “We are hoping that it will be possible to introduce private practice in government hospitals by March.
At present, doctors in all government hospitals see patients from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. Most of the doctors then consult patients in private hospitals, clinics or private chambers.
According to the draft of the Institutional Practice Guidelines, after the office hours, the private chamber that the specialist doctors will have at their place of work will be from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. The patient needs to buy a ticket to get the service.
According to sources in the Health Ministry, a part of the doctor’s fee will be deposited in the government fund for the infrastructure of the government hospital, electricity use, lab use and others.
According to draft committee sources, the senior doctor’s fee will be Tk. 300. The junior doctor’s fee is Tk. 150. The senior doctor will get Tk. 200 from the fee, while his assistant will get Tk. 50. The remaining Tk. 50 will be deposited in the government fund. On the other hand, the junior doctor will get Tk. 100 from the fee. His assistant will get Tk. 25. The remaining Tk. 25 will go to the government fund.
In the draft policy, the fee has been fixed at Tk. 150 at the district and upazila level hospitals. However, the matter will be finally discussed in the February 23 meeting.
Sources of the ministry said that initially private chambers will be opened in 50 upazila level, 20 in district level, eight in divisional level and five in specialized government hospitals.
Upazila and district level hospitals will be fixed based on patient attendance. This service will be introduced in hospitals where more patients come.
The services to be provided in private chambers are mentioned in the draft policy. It was said that consultation, diagnostic, laboratory, radiology, imaging and surgical services will be provided.
According to the draft policy, doctors will take turns to see patients. A doctor will see patients two days a week. If the doctor allows the patient to undergo any test, the patient can do it in the government hospital if he wants. He can also do it in private hospitals.
Some officials of the Health Ministry said that such services (institutional practice) are in operation in the neighboring countries-- India and Pakistan.
Prof Dr Pran Gopal Datta introduced the service at the hospital during his tenure as the Vice-Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU). Now professors and associate professors take turns to see patients in the outpatient department from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. The fee per patient is Tk 200. Of this, the doctor gets Tk. 135. Employees get the remaining Tk. 65.
Institutional practice is also underway at the newly launched Super Specialized Hospital at BSMMU.
