NABH launches book on standards for healthcare and wellness industry
Wellness has been a booming industry in India since the past year. However, currently it has no standards or guidelines. The industry includes cosmetology clinics, clinics dealing with nutrition, chest disease centers like allergies clinics, psychiatry clinics, orthopedic clinics, neurology centres, gastroenterology clinics, dental clinics, ergonomics and rehabilitation clinics, ophthalmology clinics, ENT clinics, cardiology clinics, infertility clinics, sexual health clinic, nephrology, alternative medicine, substance abuse clinic, toxicity clinic, sleep therapy clinic, weight management clinics, medical termination of pregnancy clinics, gynecology clinics, immunization and travel prophylaxis, exercise, investigation facilities (medical facilities which give diagnostic facilities should be brought under this category).
Prepared by NABH, a constituent board of Quality Council of India (QCI), the standard for health and wellness are applicable for accredited healthcare and wellness companies offering services to consumers in India . Girdhar Gyani, secretary general QCI said, Indian wellness standards are first of its kind. They cover all aspects of healthcare and wellness. He added, These would cover aspects like technology, trained manpower, infrastructure, customer safety, processes and controls among many others, statutory and regulatory compliance. The standards would lay down stringent regulations for service providers to obtain mandatory full accreditation of the total services offered.
There is often a thin line between beauty and wellness and customers often fall pray to the marketing tactics of the mushrooming clinics. We dont have regulatory framework in India for cosmetic trials. Unlike Food and Drug Administration in US, Indian FDA does not crack down on trials for beauty products. added Gyani.
Bombay High Court recently passed a judgment that hospitals should charge the same rates as advertised. According to the guidelines, it is mandatory for all the clinics both health as well as wellness, to display rates at the counter, said Gyani. When asked about monitoring of the clinics, Gyani said, The whole idea is self accreditation and monitoring. Also customers should be well aware of the standards, these clinics have to maintain and their rights as clients and patients.