Srinagar, Oct 28: Alleged unnecessary referrals from District Hospital Bandipora to tertiary care hospitals in Srinagar continue to put pressure on healthcare facilities in the summer capital, with doctors at tertiary care hospitals alleging that several patients could be treated at their local hospitals.
Doctors working at tertiary care hospitals in Srinagar said patients were frequently referred from Bandipora despite not requiring specialised treatment, adding to the workload of medical staff and affecting the management of patients requiring advanced care.
“We receive dozens of patients every day who could be managed at peripheral health facilities or the district hospital itself. Referring such cases to a tertiary care hospital adds to the burden on an already stretched system,” a doctor at SMHS Hospital said on condition of anonymity.
The doctor estimated that around 30 per cent of patients referred from Bandipora could be treated at facilities closer to their homes, although the proportion would vary depending on the cases and services available.
Sources at District Hospital Bandipora said several pregnant women referred to Srinagar hospitals did not have complications requiring tertiary-level intervention and subsequently underwent normal deliveries or caesarean sections.
They said repeated government directions to curb avoidable referrals had not adequately addressed the problem, calling for better implementation of existing guidelines and improvements in facilities at peripheral hospitals.
A senior doctor at SKIMS said questioning the necessity of a referral could sometimes lead to confrontations with patients’ attendants.
“Some patients can be treated at district hospitals and other peripheral facilities, but they are still referred to tertiary care centres. When we question the need for a referral, attendants can sometimes become aggressive,” the doctor said.
The doctors said strengthening diagnostic services, specialist availability and emergency care at district hospitals could help reduce unnecessary patient movement and ensure that tertiary care facilities remained accessible to those who genuinely needed advanced treatment.
An official, however, rejected the allegations, maintaining that patients were referred to Srinagar only when their medical condition warranted treatment at higher-level facilities.
Earlier, the government had ordered an audit of referrals from district-level hospitals to tertiary care centres to optimise the deployment of medical personnel in peripheral institutions and improve patient services across the healthcare system.
The issue has renewed concerns over the implementation of referral protocols and the capacity of district hospitals to manage patients locally without compromising their access to specialised treatment—(KNO)
