Date:23/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/23/stories/2008022354850600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Private hospitals to register with DRA

M. Sai Gopal

They should charge nominal fee

HYDERABAD: All private hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and small-time health establishments in the State have to necessarily register with the District Registering Authority (DRA) here after.

A two-month time is given for mandatory registration with the DRA set up by the State Government under A.P Allopathic Private Medical Care Establishments (Registration and Regulation) (APAPMCE) Rules, 2007. All private hospitals, irrespective of their size, would come under APAPMCE rules and would be regulated by government.

The rules include medical-audit, mandatory presence of three doctors in a 10 to 20 bedded nursing-home or clinics, displaying charges of all hospital services, checking of medical records among others.

The, registration authority, DRA, would be headed by District Medical and Health Officer (DM&HO) and its members would be drawn from Indian Medical Association (IMA) and A.P. Nursing Homes Association (APNA) in the districts concerned. An order to this effect (GOMs No 35) was issued on February 2. For registrations, hospitals would have to approach the DM&HO.

The DRA team would visit the hospitals to check the availability of infrastructure, doctors, nurses and paramedics among other things before registering them.

Regular checks

In Hyderabad , the registered hospitals would be required to adopt at least one or two city slums and provide free service or charge nominal fee from slum dwellers. Senior citizens would also be given similar medical services at private nursing homes and clinics.