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Pathological laboratories should be regulated

 

 

Some famous private pathological laboratories have unhealthy practice of giving some detailed analysis of test-reports advising further tests. This is done only to make their customer-clients relying on them for more tests even though these may not be necessary. Union Health Ministry should ban such practice, and all pathological laboratories should be directed to give just the test-reports only for the tests conducted mentioning the safe range-limit. These laboratories must not be allowed to recommend further tests in their test-reports. It is evident that analysis and graphics given in concluding part of test-reports can be only for medical-reports and not for those whose medical-tests are conducted.

 

It is also a known fact that pathological-laboratories have huge margins that these can afford paying handsome commissions to medical practitioners having recommended the tests. Some famous pathological laboratories even give handsome 20-percent discount to persons holding a membership-card of some societies/organisations. This means that these laboratories have huge profit-margins. Recently Delhi Government fixed an upper limit of rupees 600 for testing for dengue. Likewise on the same pattern, maximum test-fees should be prescribed by the central government for each of the tests. Union Health Ministry should also frame guiding rules for pathological laboratories, and set up some regulatory authority to ensure following these rules.

 

It should be made mandatory for all pathological laboratories throughout the country to assign a customer-number to everyone going for medical-tests there. Personal data-record including contact-details and all other available information, if any, like blood-group, medical-insurance, treating physician/surgeon etc of customers should also then be registered in customers’ data-base of computers. System will enable pathological laboratories to maintain past medical history of patients on computers. Such a system will rather add to regular clientele of pathological laboratories, which can offer membership-discounts for their regular customers.

 

 

MADHU AGRAWAL

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