Where patients are deprived of proper medical reports

Time of India

a day ago

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Coimbatore: Jayshree, 25, a city resident who recently gave birth to a baby at the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH), now visits the urban primary health centre (UPHC) at Seeranaickenpalayam for routine check-up.
She doesn't have a printed test report in her file, as she received only handwritten reports from both CMCH and the UPHC. And that's the drawback of govt healthcare centres, she says.
"If we need a second opinion from private doctors, details provided by govt hospitals are insufficient. If test reports are negative, govt hospitals just mention it in writing and don't attach the report. In private labs, reports include average units and their meanings, enabling patients to have a basic understanding of their health condition.
At CMCH, blank OP papers are issued. Hence, chances of them getting mixed up are high.
To simply put it, your OP paper might end up with another patient."
Surajraj, a patient waiting for blood reports at CMCH, said, "I'm here for the first time. Since I have a shoulder dislocation, I am advised to take certain tests. The report is being written in a small book, and the prescription is on a blank white paper."
Despite the advancements in healthcare in the state, the primary health centres and the govt hospitals in the district are still following conventional handwritten formats.
Patients visiting the govt hospitals, including CMCH, UPHCs and wellness centres, are required to bring notebooks for the doctors to write down prescriptions and other medical details.
TOI visited several UPHCs, including Meenakshi Maternity Hospital and Seethalakshmi Maternity Hospital, and CMCH on Tuesday. All these healthcare centres provided only handwritten reports to the patients.
Some patients at the primary health centres said the prescriptions were never returned with medicines.
"Though they orally tell us the dosage and consumption timing, many elderly people tend to forget. If we get the prescription, it will help our family members help us take the medicines at the right time."
The good news is that things might change in the near future. The state govt is all set to introduce printed prescriptions for patients under the 'Nalam Kakkum Stalin Scheme' from August 2. Under this flagship initiative, nearly 40 camps are planned every Saturday across the district, providing easy access to master check-ups and improved healthcare.
Blood test results and other laboratory reports will be provided in printed format at these camps. This is to improve healthcare documentation and make medical records more organized and legible. The printed prescriptions will help eliminate the confusion now caused by handwritten notes, ensure credibility, maintain accountability and ensure better patient care through clear communication of medical instructions.
Dr P Balusamy, deputy director, Public Health Services, Coimbatore, said, "At the camps under the 'Nalam Kakkum Stalin Scheme' printed prescriptions and reports will be generated on a pilot basis. These camps have initiated mobile number linking to inform patients when their reports are ready. The state is likely to expand this initiative across its healthcare centres in a phased manner."