At SMHS Hospital, a long wait for cardiac patients to get procedures done

Patients visiting Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar here for cardiology-related procedures have to wait for months for their turn owing to “under-utilisation” of the facilities.

Both SMHS Hospital and Super Specialty Hospital (SSH) whichfunction under Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar have functional cathlabs.

   

However, at SMHS Hospital, which has a well-equipped cathlab that would cater to all cardiology load till 2018, procedures are beingcarried out only once a week, said a senior doctor.

He said for the remaining days, the lab remains locked,although almost all cardiac emergencies land up at SMHS Hospital during theremaining days of the week also.

“From SMHS Hospital, patients are then shifted to Super SpecialtyHospital for procedures as the lab at SMHS remains locked,” he said.

At SSH lab, the doctor said, patients’ rush doesn’t allowdoctors to carry out many procedures and often, life saving and heart musclesaving primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and other interventionsare get deferred.

The Primary PCI is carried out immediately after a heartattack and saves the patient from life long dead heart muscle, the doctor said.

He said owing to this “scanty output”, work has accumulatedand cardiac patients, visiting the hospital, are getting date months later, forcritical life saving procedures.

According to the hospital records, currently, patientsrequiring radio-frequency ablation (RFA) for arrhythmia are being dated forDecember, while as for stents and secondary PCI patients are getting dates inSeptember.

The delay, the doctor said, could obviously result indeterioration of condition of many heart patients. “The delay in theseimportant heart procedures increases chances of death at times,” he said.

The doctor added that many, who could afford, were turningto private hospitals here or outside to expedite medical interventions to saveheart muscle and improve their health. “But those patients who can’t affordsuch procedures in private sector are getting a sentence of ill-health,” hesaid.

An official at the hospital said although the GMC has 10cardiologists at present, the strength was being utilized for one cath lab atSSH while it could very well cater to two labs.

While comparing the cardiology work output of Sher-e-KashmirInstitute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) with GMC associated hospitals, theofficial said, the SKIMS has just seven cardiologists but even at night time,they are able to do primary PCI and it is ensured that whatever other procedurethe patient needs, they aren’t delayed.

Principal GMC Srinagar, Prof Parvaiz A Shah however said theSMHS Hospital cath lab doesn’t remained locked. “Whenever it is needed, it isbeing put to use,” he said.

He added that administration has worked out a plan to avoid”duplication of services” in two cath labs and that the cardiology departmentof the college had a robust system in place to prevent loss of lives.

“We have a state-of-art lab at SSH and SMHS lab also remainsfunctional as and when required, even during night,” he said.

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