Protocol issued to avoid unnecessary referral to medical colleges

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Health Department released a protocol to ensure better treatment for patients in nearby hospitals and thus, reduce the burden on medical colleges.

Patients should not be referred to medical colleges unnecessarily when facilities are available at lower-tier hospitals.

The protocol for five specialities, such as internal medicine, general surgery, gynaecology, paediatrics and orthopaedics, was released in the first phase. Minister Veena George announced that the protocols for other specialities will be published soon.

Various types of speciality treatments are available in medical colleges, district general hospitals, and taluk hospitals. Therefore, all institutions have been classified into five categories, namely Category A, B, C1, C2, and D, considering the human resources and facilities available.

The protocol specifies the facilities that should be available in each category institution and what treatments should be provided. The protocol also specifies under which conditions the patient should be referred to, and which hospital he/she should be referred to based on the symptoms of the disease.