On Wednesday, Dr. M Srinivas, Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, wrote a letter to Mr. YM Kandpal, Joint Secretary, Lok Sabha, over the streamlining of the Outpatient Department (OPD) and emergency consultation and inpatient hospitalization services for Members of Parliament as per the authorized SOPs.

The Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) and other doctors′ associations expressed their opposition to the letter and tweeted that they condemn VIP culture because no patient should suffer at the cost of another′s privileges. FORDA added that any protocol to streamline things should not be viewed as derogatory, provided it does not hamper patient care.

In a letter, Dr. Srinivas wrote that if a sitting Member of Parliament needs OPD consultation from a specialty or super-specialty department, they should contact the duty doctor via the Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha secretariat or personal staff. The letter further included that duty officers will be available in the control room of the hospital around the clock. According to the SOP, the duty officer will act as the nodal officer to coordinate and facilitate the requisite medical care arrangements for sitting MPs.

According to the letter, in case of an emergency, the Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha secretariat or personal staff of the MP should contact the duty officer and provide him with the requisite details about the ailment. So that the duty officer can guide them as to suitable emergency services. Meanwhile, in the case of inpatient hospitalization, the doctor on duty will send a brief note to the medical superintendent. The brief note, which will be countersigned by the superintendent, will contain the medical records of the policymaker detailing the illness and viable treatment options.