A proposal of Day Care Therapy Center facility under Ayurveda, Yoga, and Naturopathy systems for central government employees and pensioners has been approved by the Ministry of Health and Family welfare. Private Day Care Therapy centers of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy will be empanelled under Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) shortly, in a manner similar to empanelment of Day Care Therapy Centers of conventional (Allopathy) medicine already provided by CGHS.
All CGHS beneficiaries, serving as well as pensioners will be able to avail the benefit of these centres. This step has been taken by the Ministry, keeping in view of the growing popularity of AYUSH system of medicines amongst the public at large and all CGHS beneficiaries.
Initial empanelment of Day Care Therapy Centres will be undertaken on pilot basis for Delhi and NCR for a period of one year and subsequently would be considered for other places.
The treatment procedure requiring a short duration of stay in the Day Care Therapy Centre, ranging from a few hours to less than a Day will be made available to CGHS beneficiaries under this scheme. The aim of the scheme is to improve the health and wellbeing, reduce health care expenditure and provide excellence in service delivery, efficiency, and comfort to the patients. As the treatment procedure does not require overnight stay in the unfamiliar environment, it is extremely convenient for children and elderly patients. This is yet another important step of Government of India to extend the benefit of AYUSH system of medicine.
At present treatment of approved procedures like Panchkarma and Abhyanga etc. is given only after hospitalization in CGHS empanelment Hospital. This involves additional cost to CGHS as indoor room charges, which are separately paid by CGHS apart from the procedure cost. The day care centers will not only reduce the cost of hospitalisation but will also add to patient’s convenience.
AYUSH Day care Centre means and includes Community Health Centre (CHC), Primary Health centre (PHC), Dispensary, Clinic, Polyclinic or any such centre which is registered with the local authorities, wherever applicable and having facilities for carrying out treatment procedures and medical or surgical/ Para surgical interventions or both under the supervision of registered AYUSH Medical Practitioners on day care basis without in-patients services and complying with all the following requirements-
- Having qualified registered AYUSH Medical Practitioner;
- Having dedicated AYUSH therapy sections as required;
- Maintaining daily records of the patients and making them accessible to the insurance company’s authorized representative and;
- NABH accreditation or entry level certification in case of private centers.
MV/SK
