SMS Hospital doctors raise alarm over unnecessary patient referrals

Rumela De Sarkar

SMS Hospital doctors raise alarm over unnecessary patient referrals

Written By : Rumela De Sarkar Published On 2025-12-10T13:45:03+05:30 | Updated On 10 Dec 2025 1:45 PM IST

State to Address Overcrowding at SMS Hospital Due to Excessive Referrals

Jaipur: In response to concerns regarding unnecessary patient referrals from district government hospitals, doctors at Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital have urged the state government to take immediate action to address bed shortages, overcrowding, and the strain on hospital resources. They emphasised that only patients requiring advanced care should be referred to the facility.

Also Read:Jaipur SMS Hospital Fire: Superintendent and Trauma Centre In-Charge Removed

Addressing the issue, Gayatri Rathore, Principal Secretary of Medical Education, said on Saturday that hospitals affiliated with medical colleges must ensure unnecessary referrals do not occur. Speaking to TOI, she said, "It is often observed that many hospitals refer patients to SMS Hospital, JK Lon, Mahila Chikitsalaya, and Zenana hospitals or other major hospitals despite common illnesses or absence of complications. This increases patient load on some hospitals while facilities available in other hospitals remain underutilised."

To tackle the issue, the Medical Education Department is planning measures for crowd management in hospitals. A queue management and help desk system, similar to the one recently implemented at Jaipuria Hospital, will be rolled out in other hospitals to streamline patient flow and ensure efficient use of resources.

The state government is also taking steps to strengthen oversight across all medical college-affiliated hospitals.

Also Read:Rajasthan to enforce strict monitoring in medical college hospitals, Heads to face reviews, accountability for lapses

Medical Dialogues had previously reported that the Rajasthan government is set to tighten oversight across all medical college-affiliated hospitals. The move aims to strengthen clinical governance and ensure consistent delivery of healthcare services across the state. At a departmental review meeting, it was emphasised that public health is a highly sensitive sector and warned that any negligence—administrative or clinical—would invite strict action. He also instructed hospitals to promptly report manpower shortages while ensuring that patient services remain uninterrupted.

SMS HospitalReferralsShortage of bedsdistrict hospitals

Rumela De Sarkar

With a keen interest in storytelling and a dedication to uncovering facts, Rumela De Sarkar joined Medical Dialogues as a Correspondent in 2024. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature from the University of North Bengal. Rumela covers a wide range of healthcare topics, including medical news, policy updates, and developments related to doctors, hospitals, and medical education