PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
A lack of awareness and inadequate public transport access, among other factors, have contributed to the low number of patients admitted to the In Patient Department (IPD) at the Deen Dayal Upadhyay District Hospital, according to the principal medical superintendent Dr Manu Jain. Notably, while the Deen Dayal Upadhyay District Hospital serves as the district hospital, its IPD admissions remain significantly lower than those at the Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) Hospital, where patients’ admissions often exceed capacity.
In response to this situation, Jain provided an update on the current patient admission scenario at the district hospital’s IPD. He said that the admission rate at the district hospital is not as high as it should be. Currently, the hospital has 210 IPD beds, including emergency beds, but the occupancy rate stands at just 56 per cent, which is unsatisfactory for a district hospital. There are several reasons contributing to the low number of patients admitted to the IPD, he said.
Jain added that GDMC experiences an overflow of patients compared to the district hospital. This discrepancy is partially due to GDMC’s long-standing reputation among people, as it has been in operation for over a hundred years, leading to greater public awareness and a consistent increase in footfall. Additionally, the lack of public transport access to the district hospital, combined with services like Atal Ayushman Yojana (AAY) available at GDMC, Graphic Era and other hospitals discourages patients from choosing the district hospital for treatment. As a result, the IPD numbers at the district hospital remain low.
Jain informed that the OPD footfall at the hospital is satisfactory, with daily attendance ranging from 800 to 1,000 patients. He also said that the IPD occupancy has improved slightly over the past year, rising from 40 per cent to the current 56 per cent. To further increase the number of patients in the IPD, the administration has instructed doctors to enhance the quality of patient services and minimise referral cases.
Jain emphasised the importance of boosting IPD admissions and indicated that the hospital administration would approach the district administration to request at least two Vikrams from Parade Ground and Prince Chowk areas of Dehradun to facilitate easier access to the district hospital for individuals.
