The online patient referral system was rolled out 10 days ago, but patients are still being referred with handwritten instructions on the "patient card" and without booking a bed through the online system.
MR Bangur Hospital referred a patient to Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital (CNMCH) on Sunday. A "patient card" issued by MR Bangur Hospital had the handwritten instruction: "Ref to higher centre for neurosurgery".
No hospital name was mentioned on the card.
Family members of Malati Haldar, 55, who suffered a cerebral stroke, said doctors at MR Bangur Hospital verbally advised them to take her to CNMCH. "At National Medical College, the doctors examined her and said she required urgent admission. But she could not be admitted as there was no vacant bed," Somnath Haldar, the patient's son, told Metro at CNMCH.
Doctors at CNMCH "verbally" told the family to take the patient to NRS Medical College and Hospital. This time they were not even given any "patient card" with handwritten instructions.
The family took her to NRS, where she was finally admitted.
"My mother was first taken to Baghajatin State General Hospital, where doctors said her condition could not be treated there and asked us to take her to a hospital with better facilities. We then took her to MR Bangur Hospital, where doctors conducted a CT scan, ECG and some blood tests," the son said.
"Doctors and officials at MR Bangur Hospital said they would forward my mother's patient card to CNMCH and she would be admitted here. But that did not happen," he said.
An official in the state health department said all referrals should be done through the online referral system. "Verbal and handwritten instructions are no longer allowed. I do not know why this happened," the official said.
On Tuesday, a 48-year-old man, who was allegedly refused treatment at three government medical colleges in the city, passed away as his family kept looking for a bed in vain for 24 hours.
Police sources said the family had alleged that they first went to SSKM Hospital, where they were told there were no vacant beds. They then went to Medical College Kolkata and NRS Medical College and Hospital, where they were allegedly turned away.
On Sunday, this newspaper visited three government medical colleges in the city. A screen installed at SSKM Hospital to display the vacant bed status was blank around 3.30pm.
At RG Kar, a screen installed inside the Emergency building displayed the number of vacant beds in each department.
No such screen was spotted at Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital. Security personnel at the hospital said they were unaware of any such display board on the campus.
On Tuesday, a 48-year-old man, who was allegedly refused treatment at three government medical colleges in the city, passed away as his family kept looking for a bed in vain for 24 hours.
Police sources said the family had alleged that they first went to SSKM Hospital, where they were told there were no vacant beds. They then went to Medical College Kolkata and NRS Medical College and Hospital, where they were allegedly turned away.
On Sunday, this newspaper visited three government medical colleges in the city. A screen installed at SSKM Hospital to display the vacant bed status was blank around 3.30pm.
At RG Kar, a screen installed inside the Emergency building displayed the number of vacant beds in each department.
No such screen was spotted at Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital. Security personnel at the hospital said they were unaware of any such display board on the campus.
