Doon Medical College Hospital directs doctors to stay alert amid emergency delays

Dehradun: The Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) Hospital has directed doctors to remain more vigilant and respond promptly to emergency calls following recent complaints alleging negligence and delays in patient care at its Emergency Department. The hospital administration said the instructions were issued after taking note of the incidents reported in the Emergency ward. 

According to reports, one incident involved an injured woman from Prem Nagar who allegedly waited nearly five hours before receiving treatment. Her family members also claimed that the emergency medical officer behaved rudely during the delay, raising concerns about the quality of emergency care at the government hospital.

In another incident, an on-call doctor reportedly failed to respond to repeated phone calls when the patient load in the Emergency Department suddenly increased. The doctor allegedly disconnected the call later, causing inconvenience to patients and their attendants and prompting further criticism of the hospital's emergency response system.  

Responding to the allegations, Medical Superintendent Dr R S Bisht said the hospital had instructed all doctors to remain vigilant and ensure timely responses while on duty. He clarified that an associate professor from the concerned department was present in the Emergency at the time of the incident. Although attempts were made to contact the on-call doctor, the doctor could not be reached due to certain reasons. The doctors available at the hospital managed the emergency cases, he added.

Dr Bisht further said the hospital's Emergency department handles around 350 patients every day, with doctors from multiple departments deployed in the Emergency, Operation Theatre (OT) and Outpatient Department (OPD). He said the recent incidents have prompted the administration to once again remind doctors to remain responsive and attend emergency calls without delay to ensure uninterrupted patient care.

According to a report by Pioneer Edge, the complaints involving delayed treatment and the alleged failure of an on-call doctor to respond have led the hospital administration to reinforce instructions for doctors to stay alert while on duty. The hospital has assured that steps are being taken to improve emergency services and prevent similar incidents in the future.