Hyderabad: With very few MD pathologists, the order of the government to get laboratory diagnostic reports certified by them is becoming a major challenge. It is leading to hurdles in clearing insurance bills of the patients. There is major confusion as there are only a few accredited diagnostic laboratories that have certified MD pathologists. For other small and medium sized diagnostic laboratories, the certificates are signed by diploma holders.
But the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) insists that the test reports must be signed only by a medical practitioner with post-graduate qualification in pathology.
This has now led to a problem as those bills which were signed by diploma holders are not valid in the final assessment.
There are only 5,500 qualified MD pathologists in the country but there are about 3 lakh medical testing laboratories. The accredited laboratories are located only in the cities. The semi-urban and rural areas have laboratories that are not accredited. The non-accredited and other small laboratories are employing diploma holders to sign the test reports.
A senior hospital administrator on condition of anonymity explained, “There is major chaos due to this order and patients are fighting with us when the claim amount is not being settled by the insurance company. But there is little that we can do.”
The Association of Healthcare Providers has approached the Central Government with the problem and urged that an interim solution be worked out as there is a massive shortage of pathology graduates.
Due to this order, the patients are suffering and it is creating a lot of stress on hospital resources, the association has said.
