PGI to set up independent physiotherapy division

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 15

In a move aimed at enhancing patient care and professional autonomy, the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh has decided to establish an independent physiotherapy division within the Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (PRM).

It was suggested that a division of physiotherapy would be a viable and suitable alternative. It would also facilitate the starting of Post Graduate Master of Physiotherapy (MPT) course in near future after recruitment of faculty posts. Accordingly, Standing Academic Committee agreed for creation of independent division of physiotherapy under the Department of PRM.

The department was created in 2008 after the approval of Institute Body. Eight posts of teaching faculty have been approved by the Standing Academic Committee in a meeting held in March last year for physiotherapy and awaiting the approval of competitive bodies.

The decision follows a series of deliberations by the Standing Academic Committee that acknowledged the pressing need to streamline physiotherapy services and ensure optimal patient outcomes. Currently, physiotherapists operate under the umbrella of the PRM Department, leading to logistical challenges and disparities in recognition.

Pradip Kumar Sarkar, Superintendent Physiotherapist at the Department of PRM, highlighted the inefficiencies arising from the amalgamation of physiotherapy with PRM in 2008. It was highlighted in the proposal that patients have to go through multiple referrals to get physiotherapy consultation and respective management, especially to a physiatrist despite being already attended by the respective specialist (physicians/surgeons). This has caused a profound wastage of patients’ precious time and huge mental harassment, adversely affecting proper patient care.

In PGIMER, the physiotherapy department had been functioning independently since 1965 with great satisfaction, but in 2008, the physiotherapy department was merged with the newly created PRM Department. The physiotherapists were not even consulted and informed, nor were their views ever taken before merging the physiotherapy department with the newly created PRM Department.

The physiotherapists are running OPD services and special clinics in the Department of PRM, assessing and treating more than 300 new patients in a day, but all the credits were being taken by PRM and Orthopedics faculty in running the PRM OPD and special clinics.

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