Hyderabad: A wrong diagnostic report can do more than create confusion for a patient — it can alter the course of treatment itself. Yet, in Nirmal town, diagnostic centres and laboratories are being set up without proper registration, with some operators relying more on their experience in the field than on the mandatory legal requirements.Under the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010, medical and diagnostic establishments are required to register before starting operations. The registration is intended to ensure that such centres meet prescribed requirements and that the services offered to patients are subject to regulatory oversight.However, officials of the district medical and health department have found that some centres were functioning without registration. The issue assumes significance because diagnostic reports form an important basis for doctors while deciding treatment.As part of recent inspections, health department officials identified two diagnostic centres in Nirmal town that were functioning without the mandatory registration and seized them.“Nobody can provide medical services or run a diagnostic centre without obtaining legal registration. Departmental action will be taken against such establishments. Providing any service in violation of the rules is an offence. We will expand inspections across the district,” District Medical and Health Officer K Rajender said.If a patient receives an incorrect report, the doctor may prescribe treatment based on that report. Instead of helping the patient, such treatment could have adverse consequences, particularly when the underlying condition is different from what the report indicates.“Some people with experience of working in diagnostic centres or laboratories were setting up such facilities to cater to local demand. In some cases, they were relying on their practical experience and familiarity with diagnostic procedures while giving less importance to formal qualifications and registration requirements,” said officials.The concerns also extend to the growing dependence on diagnostic tests. There have been allegations that some doctors have financial or investment links with diagnostic centres and refer patients for tests even when they may not be necessary. Such practices, if established, can increase the financial burden on patients and contribute to diagnostic centres remaining crowded.Officials also said registration was not a mere formality but a legal requirement for establishments providing medical and diagnostic services. Any centre operating without the required registration could face departmental action.
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