The Rajasthan government has started extensive preparations to separate administrative and educational functions in 50 government hospitals attached to 30 medical colleges of the state. The objective is to appoint full-time administrators from among the selected doctors for better management in the hospitals, so that the quality of patient services can be increased.

Jaipur. The state government is planning major structural changes in the medical colleges and 50 hospitals attached to them to separately strengthen administrative efficiency and academic quality. Under the new proposal, such doctors will be made full-time administrators, who can give their full time to the hospitals.

If this model is not successful, then consideration is also being given to appointing doctors for educational work and RAS or IAS officers for administrative responsibility. The recent proposal to end the private practice of doctors holding the posts of Principal and Superintendent is also being linked to this change. The Government believes that strengthening hospital management in a professional and independent manner will significantly improve facilities and service quality.

Trauma center accident raised questions of administrative reforms

In October, serious questions were raised on the administrative arrangements after the death of six patients in a fire in the Trauma Center ICU of SMS Hospital. Three other family members also alleged that their family members lost their lives due to the fire.

In this background, in the recent college meeting, the Medical Education Secretary proposed to appoint administrative officers in hospitals, to which many doctors objected. The incident has again brought to the fore the need for independent and accountable administrative structure in hospitals, which the government is now moving towards implementing as a major change.

Focus on administrative reforms

The government believes that amidst the increasing workload and increasing complexities in hospitals, it is now necessary to make maximum use of the time of specialist doctors. Therefore, such doctors will be selected who can perform administrative responsibilities with 100% dedication. A proposal to give separate incentives is also being prepared for this, so that qualified doctors are motivated to play the role of management.

To increase efficiency in administrative work, the government is also looking at the option of appointing RAS or IAS officers in hospitals if needed. The deployment of officers is expected to strengthen the monitoring and daily operations of the hospitals, thereby ensuring improvement in patient services.

Role of doctors and new policy

There is dissatisfaction among doctors regarding the proposal to close the NPA and ban on private practice, but the government has made it clear that this decision will not be applicable to everyone. Out of approximately six thousand medical teachers in the state, only a hundred doctors will be selected who have the capability to handle administrative responsibilities.

Due to increasing patient load in hospitals, the need for doctors who are available for long hours is continuously increasing. The government believes that when doctors give maximum of their time to the hospital, then naturally the administrative system will also become more disciplined and transparent. This is the reason why the ban on private practice is being linked to administrative reforms.