Ministry of Health Issues Revises Guidelines for Referral System Under CGHS

Through a recent office memorandum, the Department of Health for referral system under CGHS and Family Welfare, Ministry of Health and Family welfare has issued revised guidelines for the referral system under CGHS. Through the office memorandum, Rajeev Atri, Undersecretary to the Government of India stated this Ministry has been receiving representations for simplification of procedure for undergoing treatment/investigations at private hospitals empanelled under CGHS. After reviewing the entire matter, it has now been decided to revise the guidelines for consultation and treatment at CGHS empanelled private hospitals as per the details are given under:

• Referral from CGHS medical officer/CGHS specialist for consultation with specialists at private hospitals empanelled under CGHS shall be valid for 30 days in the same hospital.
• The referral shall be valid for consultations up to 3 times in the same hospital within 30.
• Similarly, the referral shall be valid for consultation with a maximum of 3 different Specialists if required during a single visit.
• The advice of the CGHS medical officer/CGHS specialist for listed investigations shall be valid for a period of 30 days.
• The advice of the CGHS medical officer/CGHS specialist for listed treatment procedure shall be valid for a period of 3 months.
• If any listed investigation advised by specialist of the empanelled hospital is required urgently as a medical emergency and certified as such, may be undertaken at the same hospital.
• Hospitals are empanelled under CGHS for the specialists available and not by the mime of specialists.
• The referral of CGHS medical officer/specialists may be issued through computers or even manually with the proper stamp of referring doctor. – Medical Dialogues