Patna, July 11 (ABN) The Health Department has issued detailed guidelines to strengthen the referral system for all government health institutions in the state to further consolidate public healthcare services. This initiative is a significant step towards effectively implementing the "Accessible Health, Safe Life" pledge under the 7 Nischay-3 program. The objective is to ensure that patients have access to standard treatment at their nearest government healthcare facilities and prevent unnecessary referrals.

During review meetings, Health Minister Mr. Nishant has explicitly directed that patients should not be referred to higher hospitals without a valid reason. According to the Health Minister, the maximum utilization of available resources, specialist doctors, and modern facilities at district hospitals and other government health institutions should be ensured, so that the public can access better healthcare facilities in their own districts. The new guidelines issued by the Health Department are a significant step towards effectively implementing these guidelines.

As per the instructions issued by Health Department Secretary Mr. Kumar Ravi, all civil surgeons must ensure that patients receive the best possible medical care locally and are referred to larger hospitals only when necessary. Under this arrangement, the entire treatment process for all patients visiting OPD, IPD, and accident and emergency departments will be digitally recorded through the BHAVYA (Bihar Health Application Visionary Yojana for All) portal. All details related to patient registration, medical consultation, tests, medication, referral, and treatment will be available on the BHAVYA portal. In-patients will be given an ABHA ID to create their electronic health record (EHR), making future treatment more accessible and effective.

The guidelines have made it mandatory for all district hospitals to register doctors and paramedical staff on the BHAVYA portal, enter duty rosters online, and update information about all available medical facilities within seven days. Before referring any patient, the concerned doctor must ensure that the necessary medical facility is not available at the institution. A clear reason will be mandatory for every referral, and the patient or their family will be provided with a computerized copy of the updated patient journey on the BHAVYA portal. Instructions have also been given to stabilize critical patients before referring them and sending them in government ALSA/BLSA ambulances.

For monitoring the referral system, a district-level monitoring committee has been formed in each district, chaired by the district officer. This committee will regularly review referral cases and ensure that necessary action is taken to prevent unnecessary referrals. A nodal officer has also been designated at the state level, who will regularly review with all districts and monitor the system continuously. The Health Department has clarified that with the effective implementation of these guidelines in the future, patients will receive better and timely treatment at their nearest government hospitals, the performance of government health institutions will improve, and the state's referral system will become more transparent, accountable, and robust.