Patan Hospital to start geriatric department

KATHMANDU, April 15: In a bid to provide comprehensive health services to the elderly, Patan Hospital is all set to start Geriatric Department, which will be the country´s first ever department focusing exclusively on treating elderly patients.



The hospital´s move comes following a request by the Ministry of Health and Population (MoPH). [break]



“The government had requested us to start the service. We are going to establish geriatric department in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Population,” Vice chancellor of Patan Academy of Health Sciences (PAHS) Dr Arjun Karki said.



At the department, the elderly will provided treatment by a team of specialists.



Professor Karki revealed that the hospital has sought help from Dr Prashan Gautam, a specialist in geriatric medicine for setting up the department.



Dr Gautam works at the University of Aberdeen in the United Kingdom.



Also, Ben Gurion University of Israel is ready to provide help to the hospital to start the service. The University will provide training as well as other support to the hospital.



“Dr Gautam has assured us of his help to start the service. We will also take help from Nepali specialists who are working in hospitals abroad,” Professor Karki added.



Once the department comes into operation, elderly patients will get comprehensive geriatric consultation, meaning they will be able to meet a team of experts specializing in a variety of geriatric fields simultaneously.



The experts will address the patient´s social and psychological problems as well as medical problems.



Dr Karki said the geriatric department will also provide services to elderly patients with special needs.



The service has been deemed necessary with life expectancy increasing in the country. The hospital is yet to finalize the age bar of people who will qualify for receiving treatment at the Geriatric Department.



“We are also consulting with the government about the service charge,” he said, adding, “If the government does not bear the costs, someone else has to.”



Geriatric medical care differs from general medical care as its focuses is on preserving function of organs and improving quality of life rather than on investigating, diagnosing, treating and curing specific diseases.



The geriatric department will also provide training to doctors and nurses.

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