TN to Roll Out Tag System for Patient Attendants in Govt Hospitals

Each patient will be allotted two tags for their attendants. Additionally, metal detectors and baggage scanners will be piloted at select hospitals to further enhance safety.

In a move to bolster security at government hospitals, Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian has announced a phased rollout of a color-coded tag system for patient attendants.

This initiative follows a recent attack on Dr Balaji Jagannathan, a senior oncologist at the Kalaignar Centenary Super Speciality Hospital (KCSSH), who was stabbed by the son of a cancer patient he had treated.

The tag system, initially tested in October at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH), aims to improve security and manage crowding across 36 government medical colleges, 37 district headquarters hospitals, and 320 taluk hospitals.

The plan comes in response to security concerns for healthcare professionals, particularly after incidents such as the tragic rape and murder of a postgraduate student at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, according to The Hindu.

Color-Coded Tags for Enhanced Access Control

Under the new system, tags will be distributed in four colors to distinguish access areas: green for attendants in surgical super specialties, red for ICU attendants, yellow for super specialty departments, and blue for general wards.

Each patient will be allotted two tags for their attendants. Additionally, metal detectors and baggage scanners will be piloted at select hospitals to further enhance safety.

Highlighting the rising confidence in public healthcare, Minister Ma Subramanian noted that many patients previously treated in private facilities are now opting for government hospitals due to improved infrastructure and trust in the quality of care.

The Tamil Nadu government also plans to introduce pay wards in around 15 government hospitals to cater to middle-income patients.

“These measures are essential to ensure the safety of healthcare staff and maintain public trust in our system,” the minister stated, according to IANS.

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