Ministry of Health Issues New Hospital Service Improvement Guidelines 2082

Kathmandu. The Ministry of Health and Population has issued the 'Hospital Service Improvement Guidelines 2082'. The guidelines have been introduced to make hospital services more citizen-friendly, accessible, and effective. According to the Ministry's Joint Spokesperson Dr. Samir Adhikari, the Ministry of Health has issued these guidelines in accordance with the Public Health Service Act, 2075.

According to the guidelines, hospitals must ensure that quality services are easily available to every citizen. This includes the development of an integrated electronic record system to manage patient treatment records and 'follow-ups', making laboratory reports available 24 hours a day, and ensuring that doctors only prescribe medicines available in the hospital pharmacy.

Similarly, if a patient needs to be 'referred', they must be sent to a government hospital with a 'referral slip'. Hospitals must maintain a stock of essential daily medicines in their pharmacies, and medical representatives (MRs) will not be allowed to enter during office hours or while services are being provided.