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Karnataka follows Kerala in restricting private practice by govt doctors to out-patient services
Government doctors in Karnataka can now practice privately at only a single declared location for OPD cases, and violations of the new norms will be treated as "misconduct" under service rules.
The Karnataka government Wednesday issued an order restricting government doctors in the state from providing in-patient treatment in their private practices, but allowing them to continue out-patient treatment.
The move comes following frequent complaints that government doctors divert patients who turn up for in-patient treatment at government hospitals to their private practices.
The order clarifying the extent of private practice allowed for government doctors working under the Health and Family Welfare Department states, “The treatment of in-patients at private hospitals as part of the private practice by government doctors may interfere with the discharge of their regular government duties. Accordingly, it is instructed that treatment of in-patients (IPD) or proposed in-patients as part of private practice by government doctors is strictly prohibited.”
The private practice of government doctors will be limited to out-patient department (OPD) cases, provided that these private OPD services do not disrupt regular government medical services and occur outside official duty hours, the order states.
The private practice for OPD cases “can be carried out only at any one private clinic or hospital, the details of which shall be declared to the government,” it adds.
“Violation of the above conditions shall be treated as misconduct and shall attract disciplinary action under the relevant Karnataka Civil Services Rules, in addition to any other action permissible under law,” says the order signed by an under secretary in the health department.
“Similar restrictions are in force in other states such as Kerala, wherein private practice is permitted only for the OPD services under strict conditions,” the order notes.
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The order states that the government has noticed “many instances of neglect of the care to the patients in government hospitals, even leading to deaths in certain cases,” due to the absence of doctors, a concern raised by various authorities, including the Karnataka Lokayukta.
The Karnataka Administrative Reforms Commission has also recommended restrictions on doctors’ private practice to ensure priority to public service.
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