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Introduction to Licensing
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Licensing is a grant of permission issued to a Healthcare Establishment (HCE) by the Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) under the PHC Act 2010 for the use of any premises or conveyance as a Healthcare Establishment.
A Healthcare Establishment means a hospital, diagnostic center, medical clinic, nursing home, maternity home, dental clinic, homeopathic clinic,
tibb clinic, acupuncture clinic, physiotherapy clinic or any other premises or conveyances wholly or partly used for providing healthcare services.
Licensing is a mandatory process and no Healthcare Establishment can function or operate without obtaining license from the PHC. Licensing focuses on the enforcement of Minimum Service Delivery Standards (MSDS) for delivery of healthcare services. It sets out standards that a Healthcare Establishment must observe and implement in order to operate and deliver quality healthcare services.
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Benefits of Licensing for a HCE
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Licensing ensures that a given Healthcare Establishment is allowed to operate as a safe and effective place, promising a reduction in the number and severity of system failures, ensuring greater patient and practitioner confidence in the Healthcare Establishment thereby raising its profile, professional value, clientele and quality of healthcare services. Licensing also provides immunity to healthcare service providers from any suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings except under the PHC Act 2010, and protects employees of the Healthcare Establishments from harassment.
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Licensing is Mandatory
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All HCEs in Punjab, both in the public and private sectors, are required to obtain a license from the PHC. If a Healthcare Establishment fails to be licensed under the PHC Act within a required period of time, the PHC may impose a fine which may extend to Rs. 500,000 or order the closing down of the Healthcare Establishment.
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