New Delhi: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has introduced detailed norms to combat the long-standing issue of fake patients being admitted to hospitals affiliated with medical colleges during audits. This deceptive practice is often employed to meet the requirements for obtaining or increasing MBBS seats.
Identifying Fake Patients
The NMC has outlined several indicators to help assessors spot fake admissions during inspections:
- Sudden Surge in Admissions: A high number of patients admitted on the day of the audit or the previous day.
- Minor Ailments: Patients admitted for conditions that could easily be treated in outpatient departments (OPDs) with basic oral medications.
- Lack of Investigations: Absence of evidence such as X-rays, blood tests, or other diagnostic procedures either prior to or after admission.
- Healthy Pediatric Patients: In pediatric wards, children who are playful and cheerful without significant medical conditions may signal fake admissions.
- Pattern of Admissions: Multiple patients from the same family or those admitted through preventive health checkups and camps raise red flags.
Historical Cases and Consequences
In 2019, the Supreme Court barred a medical college in Bhopal from admitting students for two years after it was found guilty of admitting fake patients. Similar instances have surfaced in other regions, such as Maharashtra, where pediatric wards were filled with healthy children during an audit to increase MBBS seats.
Implications of Violations
Any irregularities observed by assessors will be deemed a violation of NMC guidelines, potentially leading to penalties, including revocation of approval to establish a college or expand intake capacity.
This move by the NMC aims to uphold the integrity of medical education and ensure compliance with quality standards in healthcare institutions.
