The recently opened Gastroenterology department at the Ernakulam General Hospital (GH) is facing financial challenges.
Ensuring a sustainable revenue stream and adequate staff strength are the key challenges before the department, according to hospital sources.
The department, which functions from the super-speciality block of the hospital, is already seeing a significant response with several walk-ins. However, the services are at present limited to internal referrals from physicians and surgeons at the GH and the adjacent cancer centre.
GH superintendent Dr. Shahirsha R. says the focus has been on offering cost-effective medical treatment to the needy. “Most patients come for procedures. The primary goal of the department is to ensure that the needy get the required medical care in a cost-efficient manner. Even though the department is yet to be fully operational, the patient load is high, especially since it is being handled by a single doctor who is working on a voluntary basis. We are expecting more equipment, and our focus here has been to reduce the financial liability on patients,” said Dr. Shahirsha.
Dr. T. Paulose George, a retired senior consultant gastroenterologist, who oversees the department’s operations and offers his services on a voluntary basis, said the treatment was given to patients based on clinical priority, and efforts are being taken to ensure that deserving patients get proper care, he said.
