OUT PATIENT DEPARTMENT
a. Patients for routine cardiac check up or referral from other hospitals / institutions / periphery hospitals to Punjab Institute of Cardiology are followed up in Out Patient Department (OPD). A token system of different colors for new and re-visit patients respectively is introduced to facilitate the patients.
b. Paediatric OPD which was initially operating twice a week has been extended to daily basis. Doctors are made bound to sit in the OPD till 03:00 pm even if the patients are .disposed off earlier. A digital display system is installed for new patients to convey to them their turn number. This system is planned to be extended to all OPD rooms.
c. Free medicines are provided to all deserving and provincial government employees which are 81 % of the total patients. Initially, the medicine for two weeks was provided at one time. To avoid repeated visits of patients for medicines after every two weeks, this facility is extended to the provision of medicines for six week at one time.
REGISTRATION OF PATIENTS (Counter No. 1)
Registration of new patients is done at Counter No. 1 (Registration Counter) where patient’s personal information is entered in Patient Database System.
After registration patient’s file is prepared which remains in record of hospital and a Registration Card is handed over to patient for all future references. This is followed by ECG of patient and check up by Medical Officer in assigned OPD Rooms.
All patients are provided free medical treatment irrespective of their economic status. However, there is a system of categorization of patients at OPD based on the principle that get charges from affording patients and spent on the treatment of poor / deserving patients. All patients are assessed according to their socio-economic status by a Deputy Medical Superintendent and placed in their appropriate category. Majority of patients are non-affording and hence placed in free category. Following five categories are defined:
a. Entitled: All Punjab Government employees are placed in Entitled category. They are provided totally free treatment, diagnostic tests & surgery if required. Free medicines are provided to them at OPD & Emergency.
b. Poor / Non-Affording: Patients having monthly income less than Rs. 10,000/- are placed in Poor / Non-Affording Category. They are provided totally free treatment, diagnostic tests & surgery if required. Free medicines are provided to them at OPD & Emergency.
c. Zakat: Those who are eligible for Zakat are placed Zakat Category. These patients are provided totally free treatment & surgery. Disposables and medicines required for their surgeries are also arranged by the hospital out of following sources:
i. Zakat Fund
ii. Pakistan Bait – ul - Mal
iii. Patient’s Welfare Society
iv. Donation from Pharmacy
v. Private Donors
d. General User: Patients having monthly income between Rs.10,000/- to Rs.20,000/- are placed in General User Category. These patients are charged for their diagnostic tests & surgery at subsidize rates (almost half the normal rates).
e. Paying: Patients having monthly income more than Rs. 20,000/- are placed in Paying category. They are required to pay for their diagnostic tests & surgery at normal rates. Paying patients are provided exclusive environment in private rooms. Their diagnostic tests and surgery are done on priority. The cost of treatment of private patients is approximately 30% less than market.
OLD FILE TRACING (Counter No. 2)
Patients, who are already registered in our hospital and come for check up in due course of time, go to Counter No. 2 where our staff trace their File and refer them in their respective OPD room number.
Patient who come with serious cardiac problems are seen in Emergency Ward of Punjab Institute of Cardiology. To improve patients care, additional staff has been recruited for emergency. All patients are provided free medical treatment including medicines in Emergency. Strengthening of Emergency Services has been made with the help of Government as follows:
• Grant for Emergency Services
The Government of Punjab has provided a special grant of Rs.30 Millions for the strengthening of emergency services. This grant is mainly utilized to provide free treatment including medicines in the emergency.
• 50 % Extra Pay to Emergency Staff
As per policy of the Government of the Punjab, PIC is giving 50 % extra salary to all staff working in the emergency ward which has increased their motivation, dedication and attention towards patients. Patients not requiring admission for their treatment are advised to come in OPD for their follow up managements. They are examined by the consultants and are advised prescription / medicines on regular basis. Follow up appointments are given to them before sending them home.
Patients referred by our consultants either from OPD or from Private Consultation admitted in specified cardiology / cardiac surgery wards for further management. They are taken care of in the respective departments for their indoor treatment.
Punjab Institute of Cardiology is a 300 bedded hospital. Indoor facilities include Coronary Care Units (CCU), General Wards and Private Rooms.
Admission & Discharge Cell manages patients account from their admission to discharge from hospital. All hospital charges, diagnostic test fees and surgical & non surgical procedures are also made at Admission & Discharge Cell.
INSTITUTIONAL PRIVATE PRACTICE
a. Private practice in PIC is carried out in two manners i.e. Consultation and Procedures. Consultation is provided to the paying patients in the evening after working hours. Procedural practice continues throughout the day for paying patients alongside poor and entitled patients in order to economize equipment, paramedical staff efforts and time management.
b. In PIC, all the Consultants have since 2002 (promulgation of Health Ordinance) started doing private practice in the evening within the premises. Hospital charges rent for consultation rooms provided to them. In this way all the Consultants are available to the patients within the PIC throughout the day as well as in the evening. This system has had a salutary effect on patient care, hospital revenue and financial satisfaction of Consultants.
POOR PATIENTS CARING SYSTEM AT PIC
Provision of Medicines to Poor Patients in OPD & Emergency
Many patients left their treatment because they could not afford medicines. Punjab Institute of Cardiology has formulated a list of essential medicines for heart patients. All these medicines are made available and provided free of cost to deserving patients and provincial government employees for six weeks at one time. On an average 800 patients are given free medicines daily.
MEDICAL SOCIAL SERVICES
Medical Social Services Society, Punjab Institute of Cardiology was established in 1991. The main objective of project is to help and facilitate poor patient either by providing medicines, arrangement for operation, moral and psychological support etc, through donations and fund raising.
There are three main sources of patients help.
a. Zakat Fund
Central Zakat council Islamabad provides Rs.1,20,00,000/- per annum for the purpose. Heart Surgery is very costly so a policy exists to utilize Zakat funds to accommodate maximum number of patients. Progress of last year is appended below.
b. Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal
Non- Muslim & Saadat Patients are referred to Pakistan Bait-ul-mal for assistance Bait-ul-Mal issues amount from case to case basis and funds of patients can not be utilized for another patient. Rs.35-45 Lac per annum is provided by Bait-ul-Mal. Utilization of funds is given below.
c. Patients Welfare Society
Patients Welfare Society receives donation Sadkah etc. For immediate help of patients, for example in case of heart attack a costly injection Streptase is used as life saving drug, at such times no formality of Zakat form is required and injection are issued to emergency to save life of patients. Beside this patients welfare Society arranges medicine and disposables for operation as well as OPD medicines to poor patients.
d. OTHERS
• Medical Social Services Project Punjab Institute of Cardiology provides training to the student of Social work and Sociology department Punjab University. Student in groups are placed at the project and they are given full orientation about working of project.
• Patients Welfare Society arranges donation from different donors in order to get surgery of poor patients.
• Gifts on occasion of Eids and Independence Day are arranged to celebrate the happy moments.
• Society has arranged all accessories and utensils of Kitchen in order to make supply of food to all the patients of the hospital.
e. DONATIONS
• PIC is exempt from tax vide Govt. of Punjab notification No.2CIT.J.174.4741(d)5389 dated 11.5.1993 with regards to all donations, contributions and financial support by philanthropists.
