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State hospitals cannot ‘test’ patients in private labs: Health Ministry
Government Doctors will be prohibited from prescribing medical tests at private laboratories from next week, said a senior Health Ministry official. Health Ministry Secretary Dr D.M.R.B. Dissanayake told the Sunday Times that this measure was being resorted to, to curb malpractices that are rampant in State hospitals, where patients seeking government healthcare are often advised to go to private laboratories for their medical tests.
The circular to this effect will be issued shortly. “The decision to issue the circular came following ministry level discussions on how to curb the rising practice of patients being directed to private laboratories,” he said. “The services are available in most hospitals, and the tests done in-house,” he said.
“When the hospital does not provide the required facility, doctors will have to seek permission before prescribing tests in private laboratories,” he said. Hospital directors too will have to focus on improving laboratory services within their hospitals, as demand for services will increase once the circular is issued.
Director General of Health Services, Dr P.G. Mahipala has already been instructed to issue the circular, and will be doing so during the coming week, Dr Dissanayake said. Over the years a recurring issue has been patients being directed to private medical institutions for specimen urine and blood tests and even X ray reports, despite the availability of such facilities at government hospitals.