The "Guidelines for Inter-Departmental Referral (within hospitals)" stress that referrals should be initiated promptly.
Representational pic of doctors operating. (wikimedia commons)
Citing significant referral inconsistencies, the Union Health Ministry has for the first time issued interdepartmental referral guidelines for hospitals to facilitate better communication and cooperation. The ‘Guidelines for Inter-Departmental Referral (within hospitals)’ stress that referrals should be initiated promptly as and when patients require specialised care, diagnostic evaluations, or consultations beyond the scope of the admitting department.