New Delhi: The Government of India has come up with guidelines for hospitals on ICU admissions and directed that hospitals cannot admit critically ill patients in the ICU without the consent of the patient and family.
According to the latest guidelines, patients who are critically ill should not be admitted to an ICU if they do not give their consent. "Critically ill patients should not be admitted to the ICU; if Patient's or next-of-kin informed refusal to be admitted in ICU."
The guidelines have also mentioned that the specialist in ICU should also have specific qualifications. The Intensivist should have a postgraduate qualification in Internal Medicine, Anaesthesia, Pulmonary Medicine, Emergency Medicine, or General Surgery with either of the following.
"An additional qualification in Intensive Care such as DM Critical Care/Pulmonary Critical Care, DNB/FNB Critical Care (National Board of Examinations), Certificate Courses in Critical Care of the ISCCM (IDCCM and IFCCM), Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Critical Care (PDCC/Fellowship) from an NMC recognised University, or equivalent qualifications from abroad such as the American Board Certification, Australian or New Zealand Fellowship (FANZCA or FFICANZCA), UK (CCT dual recognition), or equivalent from Canada."
" At least one-year training in a reputed ICU abroad. A few candidates of the ISCCM Certificate Course (CTCCM) who have been certified with a 3-year training programme in Intensive Care after M.B.B.S. are also recognised as Intensivists. In addition, persons so qualified or trained must have at least two-years' experience in ICU (at least 50% time spent in the ICU)." it said
"In case of doctors not having either of the mentioned qualifications or training, they should have extensive experience in Intensive Care in India after M.B.B.S., quantified as at least three years' experience in ICU (at least 50% time spent in the ICU)." stated the guidelines
The new guidelines have been developed by doctors with expertise in critical care medicine working in different levels of Hospital and Intensive Care Units (ICU) across the country.
