Tue Dec 03 18:06:26 UTC 2024: ## Chennai Hospital Launches Pilot Program to Improve Doctor-Patient Communication
**CHENNAI, December 3, 2024** – Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) in Chennai has launched a pilot program aimed at improving communication between doctors and patients. Five counselors, three with postgraduate degrees in psychology and two in social work, have been deployed to the hospital’s Emergency Unit and Critical Care Unit to address communication breakdowns.
The program, initiated on December 2nd, focuses on high-stress areas of the hospital where communication issues are most prevalent. Counselors are readily identifiable in uniform and are tasked with identifying distressed patients or their families and mediating any issues. They have access to a dedicated room for private conversations and can call on doctors for assistance as needed.
Hospital Dean E. Theranirajan stated that the initiative is designed to identify and resolve communication gaps that may negatively impact patient care. The program is currently operating on a trial basis, with four counselors working two shifts in the casualty section and one in the Critical Care Unit. The hospital receives over 250 emergency patients daily, and the Critical Care Unit constantly cares for 30 critically ill patients.
A WhatsApp group has been created to facilitate feedback and escalation of issues. The program’s success will be evaluated after one month. Funding for the counselors comes from the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS), and expansion to other departments will be considered based on the pilot program’s results and the willingness of other departments to participate.
First Piper 