Hospitals must give bills to patient after audit: Maha health minister

Amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, every bill given by a hospital to a patient should be audited, said Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Saturday.

He also ordered that oxygen manufacturers should reserve 50 per cent of their output for medical facilities while the remaining could be supplied to industries to meet the increased demand during the corona crisis.

"Today, I have specifically instructed hospitals that pre-audit of hospital bills must be done. Every bill must be audited by an auditor before being given to the patient. Death audit must be done to find out the reason behind a patient's death," Tope said at a press conference here.

"Yesterday I held a meeting with oxygen manufacturers. 85 per cent oxygen goes to industries and 15 per cent goes to medical facilities. It was okay earlier but in the situation of corona it is not enough and there is a shortage of oxygen at some places. Oxygen manufacturers must reserve 50 per cent oxygen quota for medical facilities and the remaining 50 per cent can be supplied to industries. We will make this compulsory under the Epidemic Disease Act," he added.

The Minister further said that the COVID patients were reaching the hospital quite late when the lungs are severely affected and added that the government is trying to recruit more doctors on a contractual basis.

As per the Union Health Ministry on Saturday, Maharashtra has 2,11,325 active cases while 6,25,773 patients have been cured and discharged. The state has witnessed 25,964 deaths due to the disease.

( With inputs from ANI )