Indian Express
30 June 2010
By Vidya Krishnan
New Delhi

Doctors at the Delhi government’s largest medical facility – Lok Nayak Hospital – are being given special lessons in manners to save patients from any "verbal assault".

As a part of the hospital’s quality accreditation programme, three doctors from Drexel University, Philadelphia, were in the Capital, to train government doctors.

Three professors from the School of Public Health at Drexel University – Archer Frank, Professor–in–Chief of Public Health; Dr Igor Burstyn, Associate Professor; and Dr Jennifer Taylor, Assistant Professor Environmental Health and Patient Safety – visited the Lok Nayak Hospital on June 18 for an interactive session relating to patient safety.

"We had discussions about measures to make LN safe for patients.

We are in the process of devising a system in which collection of data, assimilation and analysis relating to pa tient safety is encouraged," said Dr Amit Banerjee, Medical Superintendent of the hospital.

After brief rounds of the hospital, experts pointed out that the biggest safety issues in the hospital was relating to verbal assault.

"Many a time, what the doctor says leads to a confrontation between the hospital employees and the patients’ relatives. All of it can be avoided is the doctors are sensitive. This will require a behavioural change," he added.

With the proposed system doctors want to ensure that all untoward incidents are reported. "We started with post–graduate doctors, because it is easier to introduce behavioural changes at the beginning of their careers. We are encouraging doctors to report untoward incidences.

There is a need for an attitude change to create a mindset where doctors do not push patient safety issues under the carpet," said Diwan Chand, Special Secretary, Delhi governmnet Health department.