New Delhi: In the midst of worsening air quality in the national capital, private city hospital plans to write “related pollution” in the diagnosis of patients, in what can be the first for medical facilities here.
The Holy Family Hospital in Okhla will begin this process for their ICU patients, said Dr.
Sumit Ray, head of the critical care department in the hospital.
“Harming lung conditions can cause infections, changes in season or due to pollution.
With X-rays, culture, and specific bio markers, we will be able to rule out the possibility of conditions due to infection or other factors.
If it’s negative, and if there is a surge in pollution level on At that time and no other reason triggered a problem, we would put it in the final diagnosis that triggered by pollution, “he said.
When asked whether it would also be done for OPD patients, he said that in OPD settings it might be difficult because someone did not do many tests as did for patients who were hospitalized.
“We have talked to our colleagues about this.
This is the first time every hospital will write a diagnosis like that,” he said.
Recently, a patient in Canada with respiratory problems was diagnosed with “climate change”.
“This story makes an impact on me and I think that we must make it a part of our diagnosis.
This will be a constant reminder that the level of air quality deteriorates,” he said.
At present, hospitals have one patient whose documents will mention ‘related pollution’ as a diagnosis.
“There are two patients with acute exacerbations.
For one of these patients, we believe that his condition is related to pollution and will be in the final diagnosis, while for other patients, we are still evaluating,” Ray added.