PESHAWAR: The business of private diagnostic centres has declined after the upgradation of pathological and radiology services at the government-run medical teaching institutions of the provincial city.

`The number of specimens we receive for diagnostic purposes has been declined during the last six months as most of the tests are done inside the hospital,` said a technician of the private laboratory located near the Khyber Teaching Hospital.

The technician said the private diagnostic business had dwindled after the upgradation of such facilities at the KTH under the healthcare reforms programme as most diagnoses were conducted at the hospital.

`We used to receive biopsycases and urine and blood for culture and other tests from the hospital as these services weren`t available there, especially during evening and night shifts, but now, 90 per cent of these facilities are available in the hospital-based laboratory,` he said.

Spokesman for the KTH Farhad Khan told Dawn that the hospital had improved diagnostic services benefitting patients though provision of quality services.

He said the KTH had outdone other public sector hospitals in the province by providing the people with quality services and that had happened for the first time in the history ofthe province.

`Our pathology department has begun advanced parameters in special chemistry and that all tests are conducted on electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLISA) using Cobas E 601 (Japan), which is a state-of-the-art electron-based technology with 99.84 per cent sensitivity and specificity. We`ve also launched 25 more tests at the laboratory. All test results are made available within one hour and the services are offered round the clocl(,` he said.He also said the hospital had also procured a digital X-ray plant at a cost of Rs110 million, which the most latest in the country.

Meanwhile, the relevant officials said the privately-run diagnostic centres were worried after the improvement of facilities at the Lady Reading Hospital.

They said the LRH, which began institution-based practice a year ago, had upgraded its services to the benefit of patients, who were previously sent to private centres for certain diagnostic tests and procedures.

The officials said such tests were performed under the supervision of qualified staff members at the rate less than the market`s and that the upgradation of facilities in the hospital had also saved patients from the trouble of going outside and waiting for long hours.

They said the patients also received X-ray, CT and MRI scan services at the LRH at half the charges of private outlets` The officials added that the hospital had got women radiologists for female patients.

They also said the Hayatabad Medical Complex, whose patients used to visit private centres fordiagnostic purposes, had got the latest technology for pathological and radiological services.

HMC medical director Prof Shehzad Akbar Khan told Dawn that the hospital had installed the latest MRI scanner at a cost of Rs200 million and thus, providing patients with the standardised services on the premises.

`We have also made upgraded the pathology department due to which 95 per cent of the tests are conducted under the same roof.

The patients don`t need to go outside for them,` he said.

Prof Shehzad said the same services were given to paying and non-payingpoor patients.

`Those coming to the hospital for examination by institutionbased practice doctors pay charges, while the wards patients get services free of charge,` he said. He also said owners of the private centres confirmed that the people got better diagnostic services in teaching hospitals due to the presence of consultants there, who reported every test.

He also said there were same rates for every patient unlike private centres, which charged differently.