Thane: The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) ordered a structural audit of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa during a health department meeting on Wednesday, August 30. The meeting was called by TMC Chief Abhijit Bangar and took place at the TMC headquarters in Thane.
The hospital had been in the news recently due to 29 deaths occurring within just 5 days. Additionally, between August 12 and 13, a span of only 12 hours, around 18 deaths were reported.
Improving patient care quality and enhancing the building and system's quality
Bangar emphasised in the health department meeting, "The challenging task at hand involves improving patient care quality and enhancing the building and system's quality by completely transforming the appearance of CSM Hospital and the Resident Doctors Hostel, along with TMC's Medical College in Kalwa. The funds allocated by the state government for the hospital must be utilized judiciously, and these projects need to be completed within a specific timeframe."
On Wednesday, Bangar delved into a comprehensive discussion about the enhancement plans for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital, the progress of the resident doctors' hostel, and the design of the 12-story medical college.
After the occurrence of 18 deaths within a 12-hour span, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited CSM Hospital for an inspection. He toured each ward, interacted with patients and their relatives, and subsequently documented his observations regarding the hospital's improvement, expansion, and the working conditions of the resident doctors' hostel. The state government had already allocated Rs 60 crore for the hospital's repair, and the Chief Minister clarified that additional funds would be provided if necessary, based on the inspection.
Revamping CSM Hospital
Revamping the management and infrastructure of CSM Hospital is imperative to elevate the standard of patient care and boost the efficiency of the medical staff. Consequently, significant changes have been instituted in administration and operations, including the appointment of an office superintendent, the implementation of biometric attendance, and the recruitment of nurses and specialist doctors. Plans for improving and expanding the building are now underway.
Bangar stressed, "The focus should be on usability, user-friendliness, and design flexibility. Our efforts encompass creating space to increase the current capacity of 500 hospital beds, enhancing the comfort of the OPD department, making structural and cognitive improvements to optimize services within a confined area. These improvements involve repairs to internal structures, ensuring ample lighting with effective use of sunlight, decentralizing overcrowded departments, maximizing doctor's time utilization, and designing facilities that can operate autonomously. Additionally, an electronic access control system will be implemented to secure the hospital premises."
Given the substantial influx of patients at CSM Hospital, careful planning is necessary to execute improvement projects swiftly while minimising inconvenience to patients.
Comprehensive analysis to be done
The redesigned hospital structure will be developed following a comprehensive analysis of crowded areas within the hospital, the time required for patient examinations and tests during OPD visits, the associated challenges, and their impact on doctors' efficiency.
Bangar elaborated, "Issuing tokens instead of queuing up will reduce confusion and offer patients and their relatives proper accommodation during the waiting period. Relocating the medical college to a pre-built 12-story building in Balkum presents another challenge. Once the medical college is moved from the second floor of the hospital, substantial space will be available for hospital expansion. The facility plot building, previously utilized for post-Covid treatment, is set to be converted into a medical college. The layout for each floor is currently being drafted, and this comprehensive facility is expected to be ready within a span of five months. Meanwhile, renovations for the resident doctors' dormitory on the hospital premises are in full swing, with an expected completion date of October 20. The Municipal Corporation is devoting special attention to ensuring that the hostel work and facilities adhere to the highest quality standards. This well-appointed, tidy building, furnished with state-of-the-art amenities, will soon serve as accommodation for the backbone of patient care: resident doctors."
