ISLAMABAD: The management of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) has started efforts to resume institutional-based private practice in the hospital.

In a briefing given to the caretaker Minister for Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Mohammad Azam Khan, the hospital sought his help in restarting the evening clinics.

“The minister was informed that the hospital was suffering because several hundred posts were vacant. He was also told that there was disappointment among the staff because of the delay in their promotions,” Pims Executive Director Dr Raja Amjad told Dawn.

Hospital administration seeks help of caretaker minister for CADD to re-launch institutional-based practice

He said resumption of the institutional-based private practice was the major issue taken up with the minister.

“We had started private practice in the evening but it was stopped as permission for it had not been taken from the ministry. I am hopeful that CADD will allow us to restart the private practice in the evening.

“This would not only help the citizens get healthcare facilities but would also increase the revenue of the hospital. We are hopeful that the minister will play his role to provide relief to patients,” Dr Amjad said.

A doctor of the hospital, requesting anonymity, added that in April 2016 private practice was started at Pims by then vice chancellor Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Medical University (Pims) Dr Javed Akram.

“At that time, it was decided that the consultation fee would not be more than Rs2,000 and the timing of the private practice would be from 3pm to 10pm. Each doctor had to give 30 minutes to a patient as per the international standard.

“Moreover, it was also decided that senior professors would stop practice in private hospitals and sit at Pims in the evening,” he said.

“This had been made possible because at that time Pims was attached with the university and considered as a private entity.

“However, after a recent legislation which again declared Pims as a public sector institute, private practice cannot be carried out without seeking approval from the ministry. That is why it was stopped a month ago,” he said.

“Though it is a great idea but private hospitals will become a hurdle in its resumption as consultants of Pims are also working in most of the private hospitals. Influential owners of the hospitals will create hurdles in such decisions,” he said.

For the last many years, there have been proposals that the private practice should be started in government hospitals.

Another doctor of Pims said while the hospital was attached with the university it was very easy to take such a decision by its head.

“While Dr Akram was the vice chancellor Pims, the academic council of the hospital decided to start private practice and it was launched within three weeks. Similar quick steps should also be taken at the government level,” he said.

“Currently, over 10,000 patients visit Pims every day but in the evening all the outpatient departments remain barren. If private practice is started, those who can afford to pay would prefer visiting the private clinics in the evening. On the other hand, poor and deserving patients will get treatment in the morning easily.”

He said facilities such as MRI, pathology and radiology tests should also be made available for the private patients.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2018