Private hospitals encouraged to set up PACs

Private hospitals across India are being encouraged to establish Patient Advisory Councils (PACs) as part of a joint initiative by the Consortium of Accredited Healthcare Organizations (CAHO) and the Patient for Patient Safety Foundation (PFPSF). PACs will actively involve patients in decision-making processes regarding their treatment and care, says CAHO founder Dr Alexander Thomas.

Approximately 22,000 hospitals under CAHO, the Association of Healthcare Providers India (AHPI), and the Association of National Board Accredited Institutions (ANBAI) are expected to be part of this initiative. This includes a section of hospitals under the Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA) in Karnataka.

Each PAC will include long-term patients and their caregivers, especially those representing civic groups, patient support organisations, and NGOs. It will be chaired by a doctor and will include healthcare professionals and administrators.

As per the guidelines, the PAC should ideally consist of two to four patient representatives for every hospital staff member, with a maximum of 20 members. These councils should convene at least once every one or two months. “If the patient or their family is not satisfied with the treatment or has issues with the hospital facilities, they can approach the PAC, which will help resolve the issue,” said Thomas.

About 70 per cent of medical errors happen due to improper communication between doctor and patient, or among health professionals, he added.  The initiative encourages hospitals to collect Patient-Reported Experience Measures, which are patients’ direct feedback after hospitalisation. Patient experiences will be compiled and circulated to hospitals.