Posted By :  Admin1

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) held discussions with the Health Minister and senior officials on the proposed amendments to the Clinical Establishments Act (CEA). The talks were a continuation of the earlier meeting held on August 22, 2024.During the meeting, IMA put forward seven key demands. The government agreed that small hospitals with up to 15 beds would be exempted from verification and inspection, though registration will remain compulsory. On suspension and cancellation of registration, officials clarified that district authorities can cancel registrations only in cases of violation of the Act.

The issue of permanent registration was also discussed. While the government initially suggested validity for five years with inspections every two years, it has now agreed to review the decision and limit inspections to once in five years. Regarding hospital closures linked to medical negligence, the government assured that the CEA will not be used for such cases and promised to re-examine the related clause after legal consultation.

IMA also demanded representation in the executive committee, but the government maintained that only a patient welfare representative is required, as medical negligence will not be decided by the committee. On fee display, the government suggested setting up kiosks to provide general charges, while IMA insisted on individualised charges with patient consent.The matter of safe transport for emergency patients was also addressed. The government clarified that only tertiary centres are bound to provide such transport, while other hospitals may do so according to available facilities.

Apart from the Act, changes in rules were also discussed. It was agreed that assessors will not observe medical procedures, nor examine confidential documents like case sheets or medico-legal records. Inspections will follow a fixed format, and the leader of each inspection team will be a registered medical practitioner.

The IMA delegation was led by State President Dr. Sreevilasan, State Secretary Dr. Sasidharan, past National President Dr. A Marthanda Pillai, and past State President Dr. Samuel Koshy.