PANAJI: With 24 outstation patients admitted to Goa Medical College for various surgical procedures on the first day of implementation of the fee structure for non-Goans, the state’s premium medical institute is expecting to collect a revenue to the tune of Rs 2.70 lakh.
“We have admitted 24 non-Goans on the first day. The government is expecting to get Rs 2.40 lakh from these 24 patients. Rs 16,800 was collected as registration fee charges from 168 patients which include Goans as well as non-Goans. GMC also collected Rs 1,251 for pathology investigation and Rs 1,303 for radiological diagnostic services. Altogether, we are expecting to get around Rs 2.70 lakh,” said medical superintendent Dr Shivanand Bandekar. It may be recalled that the government had taken a decision to charge 20 per cent from the outstation patients of the cost payable at ‘C’ category hospitals notified under Deen Dayal Swasthya Seva Yojana for availing of medical treatment at the state-run hospitals, with effect from January 1, 2018.
Dr Bandekar informed that majority of outstation patients visiting GMC for treatment was from neighbouring Karnataka and Maharashtra. He further stated that approximately 24 per cent patients admitted in GMC on Monday were outstation patients and 19 per cent of the total patients registered in OPDs were also outstation.
“Today, in new cases category, there were 16 patients from Karnataka followed by 11 patients from Maharashtra. Also, there were 14 new cases registered but these patients failed to prove their identity. For follow-up treatment, there were 47 patients from Maharashtra while 45 were from Karnataka, followed by Uttar Pradesh and Bihar with 36 and 18 patients respectively,” he said.
He informed that two patients were exempted from fee charges due to their economic condition and they have been admitted.
He informed that the 24 outstation patients admitted will undergo various surgical procedures like cardio thoracic and vascular surgery, ENT, general surgery, nephrology, neuro surgery etc.
He further informed that the casualty ward treated 54 accident cases on Monday and these patients were provided treatment free of cost as they are considered as medico-legal cases.
He said that there was no major issue among the patients on the first day over the new fee system.