Dehradun, February 24
Doon Hospital may soon join the list of hospitals with ISO accreditation. The race to hop on the ISO bus was fuelled after intensive renovation and improvement work at the hospital in the last couple of years was completed under the supervision of the World Bank. Nevertheless, doubts persist on the hospital’s ability to utilise the ISO 9001:201 certification to emerge as a vehicle for healthcare .

The health department and hospital authorities are awaiting confirmation from the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) that would be sending it’s audit team to the hospital on February 26.

The 375-bed hospital has undergone a makeover in order to meet health standards and expects to increase the capacity to 466 beds in coming years. Still battling human resource crunch, the hospital has hired private doctors to oversee super-specialty departments.

As a first step, the hospitals aspiring for certification should meet Indian Public Health Standards ( IPHS). “Doon Hospital has been selected for the ambitious National Health System Rescue Centre ( NHSRC) project which entails ISO:9001 certification for eight government hospitals across the country.

“The ISO relies on the individual organisation to establish document, implement and possess a quality-managed system and continually improve its effectiveness,” said Dr RK Pant, Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS), Doon Hospital.

Significantly, health experts are debating the need to go for accreditation as most hospitals do no follow documented facts. The question is whether the ISO would bring about any significant change in quality care at the hospital.

“Nobody has a quarrel with the hospitals opting for accreditation, it is a good practice. Once a hospital is ISO-certified, one would assume that all processes are working in unison. The next step, the critical one, is continual improvement.

“However, there is a general tendency among hospital authorities to become lethargic and become complacent so they never take the next step,” said Dr Alok Ahuja, consultant pathologistwhose pathology and imaging centre also has ISO 15189:2007 accreditation.

Hospitals are nevertheless taking steps towards announcing their credibility and scurrying for certificates and grades. “It is a quality management system standard and not a mere marketing tool. One may not be able to write down the best processes to begin with, but the ISO has a definite framework provided within itself to continually improve things. But nobody does so after certification,” said Dr Ahuja.

However, the ISO 9001: 200 certification does not apply for clinical practice. “Through the ISO, one can document any process which the hospital will follow. Quality of process is not brought under bench-marking. The ISO only means whatever is documented is being followed.

“It is only a self-proclaimed procedure, a programme unchecked by external agency, followed by internal agency. Before applying for accreditation, all gaps that the Doon Hospital may have had were addressed. A quality management policy is framed. It then becomes a document for the hospital. Even a blood-testing laboratory and radiology departments at the hospitals have their own procedures that have to be followed. Breakdowns in the system have to be identified; even the buildings where the hospitals are housed should be associated with ‘sustainable condition’.

“From planning through the laying of foundation to the end product, the ISO has published standards for all stages of development, ” explained Varun Arora, executive research officer, ICRA Management Consulting Services and a consultant for Doon Hospital.

Different schools of thought on achieving quality exist Indiain. Health experts say that hospitals should go for specifications where standards are clearly defined: the kind of needle syringes, bottles or kits to be used what type of catheters should be used.

On the other hand the Doon Hospital authorities are leaving no stone unturned to achieve their goal of an ISO certification. “We are optimistic that in the last week of February or early March we will acquire ISO-9001-2008 certification.

“The entire exercise was started after a complete overhaul of the hospital. The hospital is more than 150 years old. We have a committed team and our singular achievement is being able to take on the extra load of patients who come from western Uttar Pradesh,” claimed Dr R.K Pant. 

Dehradun, February 24
For the first time, Payal Cinema in the city has extended online ticketing facility. Hyderabad-based GAP Miners India Private Ltd, that recently launched its movie ticketing portal, has extended the e-ticketing facility to Payal Cinema Hall in Dehradun. Two other cities being covered by the portal are New Delhi and Hyderabad.

The portal www.NoMoreQueue.com/Movies <http://www.nomorequeue.com/Movies> is a ticketing site, part of which exclusively deals with movie tickets. Those who wish to buy movie tickets can log on to NoMoreQueue.com, check city, movie theatre and drill down the search right to the seats, all for a small service fee.

“Cinema-goers will be extremely benefited from the arrangement,” said Rishi Marhwah, proprietor, Payal Cinema. He said the cinema was the only one in the capital city providing the facility to the audience.

Chief executive officer of the company Rama Raju said e-ticketing would be a great boon for the, saving them time and inconvenience.

Interestingly, e-ticketing comes at a time when there has been little effort to promote cinema halls in the city, once an important source of entertainment for residents.

Significantly, NoMoreQueue.com has set up the target to sign at least 700 theatres in the country by the end of 2009.

The initial response to the concept and the site has been encouraging with a steady increase in traffic and a positive response from channel partners as well as theatres.

Dehradun, February 24
For the first time, Tibetans in the state would give New Year celebrations a miss. For most of them, the Tibetan New Year or ‘Losar’ falling on February 25 would be a muted affair.

However, Tibetans would be marking the 50 years of their exile in India and as a token of gratitude to the people here, a peace rally would be held on March 31.

Not known for ostentatious celebrations, Tibetans of all ages would not be buying new clothes but would spend their time in prayer meetings and holding candlelight protests.

“Besides burning effigies of Chinese premier tonight at all Tibetan settlements in the state, we will also wear black badges as a mark of protest. All our business establishments will remain shut on February 25 and the following day,” said Tsering from the Women’s Welfare Association, Clement Town.

Since last year, the alleged atrocities by Chinese authorities against Tibetans have increased manifold. “In March last year, the brutal clampdown by Chinese authorities on Tibetan protests is still fresh in our minds. We will be marking the first anniversary of last year’s anti-government protests in which several lives were lost. To mark our protest, the Losar or Tibetan New Year celebrations will be a very low-key affair,” said Gyaltsen, Tibetan welfare officer.

To mark 50 years of their stay in India, the Tibetan community will be organising a peaceful rally on March 31 - the day in 1959 when the Dalai Lama along with his entourage had sought refuge in India.

A special function would also be held at the parade ground in which the 22 Para of Special Forces, stationed at Chakrata, would hold a band show together with students from Tibetan schools.

“The Chinese invasion had left us homeless, but it was the Indian leadership offered refuge to scores of Tibetans. It was only due to this help that several lives were saved. Although we still pine for our land, it is here that we have rebuilt our lives and as a way of offering gratitude, a special programme will be held on March 31,” said Yeshi Tharchin, Tibetan Youth Congress President.

“The Tibetan government in exile at Dharamsala, presided over by the Dalai Lama and his council of officers, continues to guide us although the communist party official in Tibet has warned the Buddhist clergy to desist from political activity in the run up to the March 10,” he added.

Dehradun, February 24
From organising awareness camps and workshops, Sadhna Sharma, the founder president of Uttarakhand Mahila Association (UMA) is doing a commendable job for women empowerment.

“Since my childhood days, I had the inclination to work for societal cause and my father Satya Dev Sharma, who was a journalist, inspired me the most to help the needy and to become a social worker,” said Sadhna Sharma.

Sandhna has won number of awards for her work. Recently, she has won a gold medal from the Lions Club for her services for humanity. The other awards include the Doon Vishista Samman by Bhartiya Kala Kunj, Doon Nistha Award by the Doon Ladies Club and commendation by the Bharat Vikas Parishad. “Awards are not my priority, but they definitely propels me to continue fighting for the empowerment of women,” said Sadhna.

However, apart from organising various programmes and workshops for women, she’s actively involved with organisations that are working against female feticide. In the year 2003, UMA decided to get the ultrasound machines registered in the state, and with constant efforts paved the way for the policy decision that made it mandatory for all the ultrasound centers in the state to get them registered. “We could accomplish this with the help of our Postcard Abhiyan, under which we constantly mailed postcards to the then Governor, Chief Minister, Health Minister and government officials discussing about the gruesome acts against the female child,” said Sadhna.

She has lot to do in life, as Sadhna strongly feels that she is born to do work for the society. “In spite of shortage of funds, I don’t get negative because I am passionate about my work, and in if government funds us in future then I would want to work for women, who are living in far off villages of Uttarakhand,” expressed Sadhna.