Ensure Referral System Refers Patients To Hospitals With Adequate Beds, Specialised Doctors : Supreme Court To West Bengal Govt

The State of West Bengal on Tuesday (October 15) informed the Supreme Court that an Intergrated Hospital Management System (IHMS) has been planned for ensuring efficient treatment of patients along with Realtime bed vacancy monitors and centralized hospital reference mechanism. 

The bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra was apprised of this development during the hearing of the the suo motu case of the brutal rape and murder of a doctor in RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata that occurred on August 9.

The Court recorded that the State Government wide order dated October 1 has constituted the Rogi Kalyan Samiti of different medical colleges in which an 'Intergrated Hospital Management System' (IHMS) was rolled out. 

The IHMS captures every step of the patient's treatment including online bookings, drug prescriptions and disbursals from pharmacies and online discharge. The Court also noted that the Government is also planning to launch the online real-time bed vacancy monitors 'Digital Bed Vacancy Monitor' in hospitals and 'Centralized Reference System'.

The Court has directed the Government to apprise it within 3 weeks of the steps towards the commencement of these facilities. 

At this point, Senior Advocate Indira Jaisingh emphasized that often those hospitals are referred under the IHMS where no bed is available and then patient takes out the anger on the doctors there. 

"The integrated system must ensure that referral made to the hospital should have adequate doctors and facilities, patients say that the referrals are made on wrong hospitals and then they take out their anger on the doctors." 

Taking note of the same, the Court directed in the order that the State Government shall ensure that the referral system refers those hospitals which have adequate beds, availability of expertise in the medical field; doctors with specializations. 

Formation Of State Level Committee For Security Audits & Other Measures By WB Govt. 

The Court noted that the West Bengal government has constituted the following committees (1) for grievance redressal; (2) for security audit at state and district levels. 1514 security personnels will be deployed at the Hospitals for safety of which 910 are women security personnels. The verification of 660 security personnel deployed at the hospitals is also complete.

Senior Advocate Karuna Nandy also suggested that the junior and senior doctors also be taken for inputs in the committee for security audits. 

To which the CJI reverted, " they have to be on work for that". Nandy however clarified that the doctors have already resumed work. 

Considering the submission of Senior Advocate Rakesh Dwivedi appearing for the State of West Bengal, the Court recorded the following : 

"Mr Dwivedi has assured the court that the representatives of the State are in active contact with the doctors so that all steps which have been taken to upgrade the infrastructure are informed to the doctors." 

Non-elected Student Unions Lead To Favoritism & Threat Culture- Sr Adv Jaisingh Highlights 

Additionally, Jaisingh also informed the Court that while most of the doctors have returned to work, there are 8 such doctors who have gone on hunger strike while protesting against the current scenario in the state. She added that 3 out of the 8 doctors were also hospitalized as their condition had worsened. 

In light of the above, Jaisingh also pointed out that since 2022, no student elections have taken place in the RG Kar Medical College, thus nominated persons from the political background come into the picture, promoting favoritism.

"Favoritism and threat culture is coming from the absence of complying with Statutes. The law says - you shall hold student elections every year and that is the responsibility of the State and University." 

The CJI however reminded the counsel that the issue of student elections in the College was not within the remit of the present Suo Motu proceedings. The Court suggested that remedy can be sought for the same under Article 226 before the High Court and allowed Jaisingh to withdraw the application relating to it which was filed before the Apex Court. 

The matter will be heard by the bench after the Diwali Break. 

Also from yesterday's hearing - Chargesheet Filed Against One Accused In RG Kar Rape-Murder Case, CBI Tells Supreme Court

NTF On Doctors' Safety Has Not Made Substantial Progress : Supreme Court Sets 3-Week Deadline 

What Legal Authority To Recruit Civic Volunteers In Police? Supreme Court Asks West Bengal Govt In RG Kar Case

Case Title : In Re : Alleged Rape and Murder of Trainee Doctor in RG Kar Medical College Hospital, Kolkata and related issues | SMW(Crl) 2/2024