NABH must for empanelled hospitals: IRDA
Bangaluru: The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India is reported to have mandated 33000 hospitals under its empanelment that they will now have to meet some pre-accreditation entry level standards set by the National Accreditation Board of Hospitals (NABH) within a span of two years, if they wish to be empanelled with the organisation.
The clause to this effect was introduced on 12th of July 2016 in the IRDA guidelines, which are required to be followed by the hospitals that are under IRDA empanelment.
The said move was mandated after it was noticed that there are several hospitals under IRDA do not comply the basic healthcare standards and do not provide discharge summery to patients. Considering specially the patients from rural areas, this made such patients apprehensive over what was the health issue they were facing and what treatment they were given.
This action will now mandate hospitals under the Insurance scheme empanelment to provide documented records (discharge Summary) to patients.
Along with the above mentioned standards, the hospitals will also be required to meet standards in patient safety and infection control.
Dr Alex Thomas, who is on the board of NABH, told, “This is a huge step forward in healthcare delivery at the grassroots level. A lot of patients operated upon in rural areas don’t even know what has been done to them. That will change.”
As reported by The New Indian Express, this move will be beneficial for patients as they would experience improvised healthcare delivery. The hospitals will be mandated to follow the standards and improve the conditions within the premises.
“In the West, 80 per cent of hospitals have insurance schemes. In India, only 7 per cent of private hospitals have insurance schemes. The insurance sector has turned into a driver of patient safety. Unless the hospital is accredited, insurance claims are not passed. This notification by IRDA will push its empanelled hospitals to improve their healthcare delivery”, Said Dr K K Kalra, CEO, NABH.
The clause to this effect was introduced on 12th of July 2016 in the IRDA guidelines, which are required to be followed by the hospitals that are under IRDA empanelment.
The said move was mandated after it was noticed that there are several hospitals under IRDA do not comply the basic healthcare standards and do not provide discharge summery to patients. Considering specially the patients from rural areas, this made such patients apprehensive over what was the health issue they were facing and what treatment they were given.
This action will now mandate hospitals under the Insurance scheme empanelment to provide documented records (discharge Summary) to patients.
Along with the above mentioned standards, the hospitals will also be required to meet standards in patient safety and infection control.
Dr Alex Thomas, who is on the board of NABH, told, “This is a huge step forward in healthcare delivery at the grassroots level. A lot of patients operated upon in rural areas don’t even know what has been done to them. That will change.”
As reported by The New Indian Express, this move will be beneficial for patients as they would experience improvised healthcare delivery. The hospitals will be mandated to follow the standards and improve the conditions within the premises.
“In the West, 80 per cent of hospitals have insurance schemes. In India, only 7 per cent of private hospitals have insurance schemes. The insurance sector has turned into a driver of patient safety. Unless the hospital is accredited, insurance claims are not passed. This notification by IRDA will push its empanelled hospitals to improve their healthcare delivery”, Said Dr K K Kalra, CEO, NABH.
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