Tk300 to see specialist doctor at govt hospitals from March

From 1 March, patients will be able to consult doctors at selected government hospitals for an extra fee after office hours or from after 2pm. 

According to the latest draft institutional practice guidelines, patients can visit professors and associate professors for Tk300 and Tk150 for MBBS doctors.

Surgery will also be available for Tk800-4,000. The Institutional Practice Guidelines also states that the funds from patients will be distributed for other treatment where aid is necessary.

The practice is set to be rolled out across all hospitals by 1 March.

Dr Khalilur Rahman, director, Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital, told The Business Standard they had started preparations for institutional practice. 

"Doctors from each department will see their patients in the afternoon. We will make a roster of when a doctor will see the patients," he said. 

At present, doctors in all government hospitals of the country see patients from 8am to 2pm. 

Most doctors then consult patients in private hospitals, clinics or private chambers.

According to the draft rules, patients will be seen initially from 3pm to 6pm, but this may be extended to 7pm. 

As per policy, professors, associates and assistant professors will see patients every two days on a roster basis. Tickets can be taken from 2:30pm to 5:00pm. 

From the specialist doctors or professors, the fee will be Tk300, of which the doctor will get Tk200, the assistant Tk50 and the hospital fund Tk50.

Of the Tk150 fee from MBBS doctors, the doctor will get Tk100, assistant Tk25 and the government fund Tk25. 

Patients will also be able to undergo pathological tests at government hospitals.

According to sources in the Ministry of Health, a part of the doctor's fee will be deposited in the government fund for the infrastructure of the government hospital, electricity use, lab use, etc.

In the first phase, this service will be launched in 50 upazila health complexes, 20 district hospitals, eight medical college hospitals and five specialised hospitals by March 31. 

Institutional practice will be introduced in all hospitals of the country by August 31.

How many patients will be consulted each day has not yet been finalised, but the number is expected to be around 50.

Older patients will be prioritised.

Although the policy has not been finalised, hospitals have already started preparing to start institutional practice.

Brig Gen Nazmul Haque, director, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said, "We are making preparations so that we can start institutional practice from 1 March when the policy is finalised. We want to go slowly in the beginning. Preparations are being made as to how the money paid by the patients will be stored and distributed.

"If institutional practice starts, the outdoor will be open in the afternoon. Patients will be able to get specialist services in the afternoon. It costs a lot of money to take specialist services in private chambers, but now it can be done for a low cost."

Since 2011, doctors have been seeing patients in the afternoon at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU). Specialist doctors see patients every day, except Friday, from 3pm to 6pm. Patients can consult doctors of 24 departments with a ticket of Tk200.

Institutional practice is also underway at the newly launched Super Specialized Hospital, BSMMU.

Lauding the model, Professor Dr Sharfuddin Ahmed, vice-chancellor, BSMMU, however, said private practice cannot be closed. Doctors will not want to sit in government hospitals if they want to stop private practice, he said.

Earlier on 22 January, Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque said physicians in government hospitals and medical colleges will be allowed private practice in their respective institutions from March.