New Delhi (The Hawk): A unique standard operating procedure (SOP) has been created by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for OPD/emergency consultations and in-patient hospitalisation of sitting Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members.
According to a letter from the AIIMS that is going around on social media, any patients who are referred to the AIIMS by MPs will receive the proper support from the Media & Protocol Division.
The communication from the AIIMS to the Joint Secretary of the Lok Sabha Secretariat states that "Duty Officers (who are qualified medical professionals) from Deptt. of Hospital Administration will be available in the Control Room AIIMS Hospital round-the-clock and the Duty Officer on Duty will be the Nodal Officer to coordinate & facilitate necessary medical care arrangements for sitting MPs."
The SOP was created, according to the email, in response to the Joint Secretary of the Lok Sabha Secretariat's visit for a conversation regarding streamlining the system of medical care arrangements for sitting Members of Parliament.
The statement reads, "In the event that an Honorable Sitting MP requires OPD consultation from a specialty/super-specialty department, the Lok Sabha/ Rajya Sabha Secretariat or the Honorable MP's personal staff will contact the Duty Officer and provide him with the necessary details about the illness and specialist/superspecialist doctor to be consulted."
The Duty Officer will schedule the necessary appointment after speaking with the pertinent expert, superspecialist, or department head.
"If necessary, we can also speak with the center's chief or the head of the relevant department. The Officer can advise them as to which emergency services, such as Main Emergency, Trauma Center Emergency, or Eye Emergency, the Honorable MP should be brought "It said.
Before sending MOs for the required consultation, the Duty Officer will offer the proper courtesy to the MP in his office and check the availability of the relevant expert doctor. The MOs will be escorted by a responsible AIIMS officer.
The Duty Officer will see to it that the MP is greeted by the Patient Care Manager who is on duty in the relevant Emergency and is given prompt attention & treatment by the doctors in the various speciality/superspeciality departments.
In accordance with the notification, the Medical Record Officer Incharge of Admission Office of Main Hospital or any of the Center(s) where MPs are admitted will make sure that, as soon as they are admitted, the necessary information is essentially sent to the Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha Secretariat on the e-mail IDs provided by the Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha Secretariat at the time of his/her admission and on WhatsApp number.
"The single point nodal officer for organising all medical care arrangements for current Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha MPs would be the Duty Officer Control Room at AIIMS Hospital. If necessary, he will communicate with his counterpart Duty Officers at the Centers, and if & when necessary, he may also contact/consult the Medical Supdt, the Chief of the Center, or the Head of any department "Reads the letter.
The letter stated that the Media & Protocol Division would offer the necessary assistance to "any other patients who are referred to AIIMS by Hon'ble MPs for the necessary consultation or treatment in AIIMS."
(Inputs from Agencies)