A five-member medical panel from Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Government Medical College has concluded that 24 doctors from the gynaecology and obstetrics department of Chhatrapati Pramila Raje Hospital in Kolhapur, Maharashtra improperly referred patients’ blood samples to private diagnostic laboratories, despite the hospital having a fully operational central laboratory on its campus as reported by Times of India.
The doctors under investigation included faculty members and resident physicians.
The inquiry followed complaints alleging that staff were engaging in systematic referrals to external facilities likely to charge patients between ₹2,000 and ₹7,000 for tests that could be performed at no additional cost within the hospital’s own facility.
The panel found that 22 pregnant women, largely from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, were referred to private laboratories for common blood tests such as:
Complete blood count (CBC)
HIV screening
Liver function tests
Kidney (renal) function tests
Hepatitis B surface antigen tests
According to the panel’s findings, all of these tests could be carried out by the 24×7 central laboratory at Chhatrapati Pramila Raje Hospital.
Many of the women affected are eligible for subsidised or nearly free maternal services, including deliveries and diagnostics, when tests are performed within the hospital system.
In written responses to the inquiry committee, some of the doctors said they referred samples to external labs during perceived emergencies or when they believed test kits were unavailable in the central facility. Upon review, the panel determined that the hospital lab was adequately equipped to perform all required tests and was operating continuously.
Chhatrapati Pramila Raje Hospital officials stated that memos were issued to the implicated doctors warning them against such practices. The hospital administration has forwarded the panel’s report to the Maharashtra state health department for further review and action.
Diagnostic tests such as CBC, HIV screening, liver and kidney function tests, and hepatitis evaluations are standard components of prenatal care and general medical assessment. These tests help clinicians monitor patient health, identify infections, and assess organ function, especially critical in pregnancy management. Conducting these tests in a timely and affordable manner is essential for effective clinical decision-making.
Routine availability of diagnostics within a central laboratory is intended to streamline patient care and reduce out-of-pocket costs for vulnerable populations.
Local activist Rupesh Patil, who highlighted the reported referrals, urged authorities to expand investigations into other departments where similar patterns of external referrals may occur.
(Rh)
