Panel to suggest stringent KPME Act to regulate pvt hospitals

A 30-member committee under former chief justice of the high court, Vikramajit Sen, will submit a report to the state government on the necessary ammendments to the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (KPME) Act, 2007.

The committee, with representatives from the government as well as private hospitals, will submit its report in the next three weeks. Thereafter, a draft of amendments to the Act will be prepared by the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), said Shalini Rajneesh, principal secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare.

By amending the Act, the government seeks to address several issues. It aims to regulate private medical establishments and bring hospitals providing alternative systems of treatment under the purview of this Act. It also seeks to set up a state-level regulatory authority or council, create provision for data sharing between private and government medical establishments and introduce penalty in case of violation.

The committee will also look into such matters as development of standard treatment guidelines on imparting quality treatment to patients and mandating emergency treatment to trauma/accident victims and emergency patients.