Hyderabad: Going forward, it would be mandatory for any medical facility—from a small clinic to a private hospital to be registered under the Clinical Establishment (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010. Those still unregistered will be penalised with a fine of Rs 50,000, announced district health and collectorate authorities in an awareness campaign on Tuesday.Over 1,500 representatives from private hospitals turned up for the awareness event held at Hari Hara Kala Bhawan, organised by the Hyderabad District Medical and Health Office. The event was to familiarise hospital managements and doctors with the mandates and requirements under the Clinical Establishments Act.The attendees were also informed about the documentation required for the Clinical Establishments Act, PCPNDT Act, MTP Act, and Surrogacy Act, and to run hospitals in accordance with the legal regulations. “Compliances with the laws are imperative to avoid violations. Only qualified doctors should provide medical services, and all hospitals must adhere to legal regulations,” said Hyderabad District Collector Anudeep Durishetty who participated in the event.The attendees were informed about the District Registeration Authority (DRA) that is responsible for providing provisional and permanent registrations to all clinical establishments. “The District Collector is the Chairperson of the DRA, with DMHO, the Convenor. City Police Commissioner or Superintendent of Police as well as Additional Collectors are members of the DRA,” informed J Venkati, DMHO Hyderabad.“A ‘Clinical Establishment’ does not only refer to bedded hospitals but even a small clinic or a therapy centre, any medical facility comes under the Act’s purview,” the collector said.“We are beginning a survey in Hyderabad to identify unlicensed and unqualified private hospitals, and legal action would be initiated against them. Those found without registration for the first time will be fined for Rs 50,000. This amount can be increased to 2 lakh and further Rs 5 lakh if the establishment violates the rules repeatedly,” the DMHO warned.The doctors and management were advised not to charge excessive fees from patients, to submit service rates annually in the first week of June, and to adhere to those rates when collecting fees. Several centres, including those for autism, wellness, weight loss, and speech therapy, were mentioned for charging excessive fees and practicing beyond their scope.“The sessions were indeed helpful for us as it cleared many doubts regarding the registration process,” said Mahesh, a member of the hospital management from Indo-US Hospital, Malakpet. “There are facilities running illegally and need to be checked,” he added.“The documentation process was elaborately mentioned. The services should be made online for less hassle and reducing number of physical visits to the DMHO office,” said Venkatesh, who runs a diagnostic centre in Secunderabad.The heads and secretaries of various associations, including the Indian Medical Association, Women’s Medical Specialists Association, Private Hospitals Association, Super Specialty Hospitals, and Dental Doctors Association, were urged to discuss and create awareness among their members about the relevant laws.Public health director B. Ravindra Naik, district pollution control officer, district fire safety officer, and other officials detailed the regulations private hospitals must follow.
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