Delhi Govt Issues New Rules For COVID Hospitals: Transfer Patients To Triage Area In 15 Mins, Doctors To Be Available Within An Hour

On being brought to the triage area and provided a bed or sitting space, the doctor on duty should attend to the patient within 60 minutes. Further, the patient shall also be given refreshments and not made to stay in triage area for more than three hours.

Getty Images

New Delhi: The Coronavirus cases in Delhi are rapidly increasing. In the last 24 hours the national capital has witnessed 1359 new cases which takes the total toll of the state to 25,004. Amid this massive surge and  reports of people being turned back or made to wait for a long time at hospitals the Delhi government on Thursday issued a new standard operating procedure or SOP for treating coronavirus patients. In an order issued on Thursday, Padmini Singla, Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, divided the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) into reception of Covid patients at the Hospital; Admission of a patient; Treatment and test; and discharge.

Admission of Patient

As per the new rules, the hospital staff shall bring the patient to the triage area from the vehicle that the patient has been brought to the hospital, in 15 minutes, without asking for details. On being brought to the triage area and provided a bed or sitting space, the doctor on duty should attend to the patient within 60 minutes. Further, the patient shall also be given refreshments and not made to stay in triage area for more than three hours. The patient shall be admitted in appropriate ward for the level of treatment required at the hospital as per the medical condition assessed by doctors. If bed with the level facilities is not available at the hospital, it would be the sole responsibility of the hospital to transfer the patient to other hospital and till that happens, the hospital would provide available medical facilities.

Treatment and Test

The SOP said the admitted patients shall be managed as per the medical protocol and COVID tests of the patient shall be done as per the latest orders issued in this regard. The patient shall be provided timely morning tea, breakfast, lunch, evening tea, dinner and fruits twice a day. One bottle of potable water shall be provided with lunch and dinner respectively. After the doctor's assessment, if the patient does not require further treatment and fall under the category of mild-moderate symptom patient where home quarantine is allowed but he/she do not have enough space at their home, he/she shall be transferred to COVID Care Centre or CCC by the hospital after basic counselling before such transfer, the bed availability etc. should be coordinated with nodal officer of the CCC.

 Discharge

For the discharge of patient after treatment, it said the admitted patient shall be discharged from the hospital as per the medical protocol after the patient tested COVID negative as per the latest orders issued in this regard. If a patient dies at the hospital at triage or brought dead, the body will be sent to mortuary after disinfection by the hospital. If during stay at the hospital, the patient feels that he/she is not being treated as per protocol or if the admission is being denied or delayed without proper explanation or if there is any grievance, the patient can call on the hospital helpline number, with one line dedicated 24*7 for this purpose.This number should be given at the time of admission and should be suitably displayed. Also watch, Number of Coronavirus cases rises to 2,26,770 in India