Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Christian Medical College, Vellore

General Hospital Information for PMR patients

Introduction

This page contains information that may be useful to out-patients and in-patients.

Hopefully it will explain:

• Some points to consider BEFORE coming to Vellore

• How to register and pay for appointments

• Getting any refunds owed to you

• How to pay and collect medicines

• How to pay for and organise tests and investigations

• Birth Certificates and Medical reports you may need

• Emergency Services

Before Coming to Vellore

If you have not been to CMC, Vellore before we suggest you consider the following.

• Decide who you wish to consult.

• Work out how long your treatment is likely to be and what it will cost - a guide to doing this is given below

• Work out the earliest date you can travel to CMC, Vellore - remember you may need to book train tickets

• If you want to, you can book an appointment ready for when you arrive here.

Estimation of Cost

Before Booking

If you would like to know the approximate cost of your treatment then you need to write directly to the Head of the concerned department or specialty. It is advisable to estimate your total cost before coming here.

The cost of your stay will depend on many things including the treatments you need, number of doctors you need to see, how many days you are in hospital and what kind of appointments or in-patient rooms you choose. These are explained a little more below.

Cost of Treatment

The expenses will possibly include charges for such items as

registration for out- patient appointments, revisits to out-patient clinics, tests, investigations, medicines (including syringes to give injections and intravenous fluids plus giving sets), doctors fees, in-patient bed, diet, operating theatre costs, anaesthesia, blood, oxygen, bed and nursing, radiation therapy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy, when the doctor advises these.

Highly specialised and Expensive Treatments

Patients who require Open-Heart surgery, Kidney transplants, kidney Dialysis and other highly specialized treatment, should obtain an estimated cost of such procedures from their doctors before arriving at Vellore. Such patients should generate funds from their own contacts. However, similar patients have been able to collect money from sources like the Prime Minister's relief fund, the Chief Minister's relief fund, various charity organizations and appeals in news-papers.

Choices you can make

Your total cost will also depend on the choices you can make,

whether you wish to be seen as a General patient or a Private patient; whether you choose a private, semi private or general bed as an in-patient.

Length of stay

Another important factor that will affect the total cost is the length of stay. This will be both the number of days as an in-patient, if needed, and the number of days you need to stay in Vellore. Things that effect the length of stay include:

your illness, any complications you may have, the number of tests/investigations and doctors consultations required before treatment starts, the kind of treatment needed, how well you respond to the treatment given.

Your doctors will give you information as to the approximate length of time patients will have to stay in Vellore. However, it is sometimes difficult to give an accurate estimation as to how long your stay will be.

Food, Lodging and Travel

Apart from the above, there will be other costs incurred such as

Food

food will be needed for the patient and your family,

Lodging

lodging, somewhere to stay, will be needed for everyone if having out-patient treatment, and for the family if the patient is admitted. A list of hotels and lodges, with their approximate costs, is given here: Lodges

Travel

The patient and their family will need to travel to and from Vellore. You will also need to travel into the hospital every time you have an appointment to see a doctor, have therapy, have an investigation etc. If the patient is admitted, the family will want to travel into the hospital to visit the patient.

It is wise to budget for all the above and to add a bit more as a reserve to cover unexpected costs that may arise. It is important to keep in mind that specialized treatment is expensive and takes time.

What To Bring

Your length of stay at CMC would be considerably shortened if you remember to bring with you the following:

Please Bring Medical Information

1. All relevant reports, letters, scans, x-rays, biopsy slides, blocks, specimens and old prescriptions with details of medicines you have taken which you might have obtained from other doctors.

Please Bring People to be Blood donors

2. Patients who need surgery and/or blood transfusions: Please bring relatives or friends as blood donors.

3. Patients who need in-patient care: Please bring along one lady attendant to stay in the ward during the night. Male attendants or relatives are not allowed to stay with the patient in the ward after visiting hours.

Things to bring

4. For a longer stay you may find it convenient to bring items such as flask, a tiffin carrier, plates, tumbler, knife, spoon, etc.

5. Please bring a lock and key to keep the patient's personal belongings safe in the cupboard, cabinet or drawer provided.

6. Bring only essential personal items of clothing and toilet articles.

   It is best not to bring jewellery or other expensive articles. For in-patients needing surgical procedures, it is the responsibility of the relatives/ attendants to take possession of all valuable personal belongings. CMC will not take any responsibility for the loss of personal belongings of patients.

7. During the months of November to February, you may require light warm clothes.

8. Patients can bring money in the form of a draft up to Rs20,000 if you wish.This may be useful for personal expenses like food and lodgings.

Please Note: Children below the age of 12 are not allowed to visit patients on the wards.

Finding your way around CMC

CMC is a big hospital and it can be difficult to find your way around the buldings. The people at the welcome desks, enquiry desks and/or help desks can help you. Other members of staff can also help you find wards, offices, outpatients etc. Please ask if you need directions.

There is also a map of the main hospital in Vellore town. This shows the ground floor. The lifts and the staircases to the other floors are also marked. There is a list of some of the places you may need to visit. The places will either be shown on the map or it will say what building or floor etc the office/ward is on.

Hospital Map A map of the ground floor

The PMR OPD rooms are marked so patients can find PMR OPD, physio, occupational therapy and the ALC, now called Prosthetics & Orthotics.

How to: Register the 1st time

If you are coming to the hospital for the first time you need to register. This will give you a hospital number and your hospital chart / notes will be made up for you. You should only do this once.

First Visit to CMC

All Patients coming for the first time to the hospital must:

1. Fill in the first time registration forms.
   These registration forms are in the

   • OPD block Reception, G12;

   • Main Block Reception, as you come into the hospital by the chapel;

   • Centenary Block, ISSCC, reception 

   • triage room for OPD in the main hospital buildings and

   • any Help Desk.

   Please fill all details accurately. The forms are permanent records which you may need later for reimbursement and correspondence.

   Please note: There is a different triage inside the emergency services department which is just for the patients using the emergency services.

2. After filling in the form

   • You know who you want to see? 

     • Then go to the next section and register -  

   • You do not know which doctor  to see or want to talk to someone about this. 

     • Then Go to room 600A, the OPD triage room, oppsite the OPD building. The staff in the triage room can help you decide who to consult. The OPD triage room is open 8am to 3.30pm.

3. Take the registration forms, which you have filled in, to the MCTT counters (Multifunction Counters) for new registrations to pay for the appointment. The registration fees are

   General Patients	Rs 75/-
   Private Patients	Rs 475/-

   This once only fees covers:

   • "Chart making" ie making up your medical record chart/notes. This registration fee opens a new medical file/chart for you in the hospital.

   • Your Hospital Number Card which you should keep with you always - see below

   • Your first OPD appointment.

4. You only need to fill this registration form in ONCE. Your file will then be sent to any other departments or doctors that you want to see, private or general.

5. There are separate cash counters for new registrations and repeat registrations which are listed below: go to cash counters.

   • A few of these counters are open till midnight in the Centenary Block, ISSCC. After midnight you can pay at the counter next to the emergency department. More times and place details below: cash counters.

6. Company paid and Credit patients can give their registration form in to the ACCESS counter. Access is room 490 on the ground floor of the Centenary Block, ISSCC,. It is open from 8.00am to 4.30pm. After working hours you can go to the Care section. This is in room 106 on the first floor of the main Building.  Care is open 24hrs a day and 7 days a week.

7. Foreign Nationals also need to fill in the "Foreign Nationals Registration form". You can get these from the reception counters. You will also need to give in a xerox/photocopy of your passport plus a passport sized photo of yourself.

For details of general or private patient see .....

Your Computer printed receipt

You now  have your hospital number card - see ... for a photo
You also have details of your OP appointment. The computer printed receipt has the information on it. The details include

• Your name

• Your new hospital number

• where the clinic is that you need to go to. You will meet the doctor there

• The date and time of the OP appointment.

Your OP appointment

1. 
   Photo of CMC Hospital Number card

   Go to the OP clinic where the doctor you want to see is. This is shown on the computerised payment receipt, do take the payment receipt with you. PMR clinics are in the PMR block. Most other clinics are in the OP block - but some are in different places so please read the receipt.

2. Give the payment receipt to the medical records officer, MRO, seated at the MRO counter at the clinic you are visiting. 

   • He/she will give you your Hospital Number Card / 1st time Registration card.

• It is important that the Hospital Number card / 1st time Registration card is kept safely. 

• Your appointment dates and times are also put onto this card.

3. If you have a letter addressed to any doctor/ consultant or if you have a letter of appointment with any consultant, you may take the letter to the registration counter.

Safety of your Hospital Number Card

The 1st time registration card that is given to you is an important document. It is called the Hospital Number Card. The counter staff need this when you pay and when you have blood tests and other tests done.

We also use it to find your chart which has the doctors notes, letters and your test results in it. Your tests and investigation results are also listed using the hospital number. 

Please keep it carefully. To get a duplicate hospital number card contact G-32 in the ground floor of the main OPD building. Do not register again just to get new card as this is expensive and troublesome both to you and to us. It will also give you two sets of hospital notes which can cause problems.

Registration Times

Day	am/pm	Times
Monday - Friday	Morning	6.30 am - 11.00am
	Afternoon	6.30 am - 3.00 pm
Saturday	Morning	6.30 am - 11.00 am

Booking & Paying for OPD Appointments & Tests

Making an OP Appointment: Cash Counters & Credit Facilities

This section also explains how you can pay for an appointment and then book it using cash or Credit Facilities in the hospital.

Cash

All Cash can only be paid at the Cash Counters. Demand drafts are also accepted at all cash counters. Details of where the cash counters are and their opening times can be found here: Cash Counters

Credit and Credit Cards

Credit facilities are available in the hospital for credit cards, health insurance companies and companies which have made arrangements with the hospital. Brief details of credit services are given below with full details on the credit services page.

Cash Counters to Book & Pay

Cash counters and Booking counters can be found in many different places throughout the hospital and on the peripheral sites. Below is a list saying where the counters are, what you can pay for or book and when they are open. We try to keep the counters manned throughout these hours. This includes staying open at lunchtime.
If you wish to use the credit facilities available at the hospital please see the section below:

We are constantly trying to improve the services we offer so the opening hours do change. We will try to keep these pages up to date. Usually the change involves longer opening hours which should make it easier to use these services.

Cash Counters in the Main Hospital, Vellore

OPD block

A table showing Multipurpose counters in the OPD block of the hospital is given below. The counters that can be used for cash payments and what bookings can be made are listed. They are open from 6.30am to 8.30pm..

What for	Counter	Times
General and Private Repeat booking	1 - 2	6:30am - 8.30pm
New Appointments and Investigations	5 - 8	6:30am - 8.30pm
Staff and staff dependant	9	7:30am - 4.30pm
G-32 Supervisor	10	8:00am - 9.30pm

Please Note: After 11 am all the counters will function as Multifunctional counters

Centenary Block, ISSCC

Multipurpose counters are also found in the Centenary Block on the main hospital site. Below is a table showing which counters can be used for what cash payments and bookings and when they are open.

What for	Counter	Times
Physically challenged Senior Citizen Staff dependant / staff relative / retired staff dependent	1	8.00am - 5pm
Obstetrics - pregnancy Gynaecology - womens problems	2	7.00am - 4pm
New appointments and investigations General and private patients	3 - 12	6.30am - 8.30pm
Repeat registration for General and private patients	13 - 14	6.30am - 8.30pm
Paediatric Casualty - Childrens emergencies Child Health OPD Patients	15	6.30am - 12.30am
Procedures - Obs & Gynae and Child Health ONLY Fast track counter - only for payments under Rs250	480	8.30am - 4.30pm

Sundays & All Institution Holidays

The Centenary Block Counters are also open on Sundays & All Institution Holidays. What each counter books and their opening times are different on Sundays and holidays - the details are shown in the table below.

What for	Counter	Times
Bookings & Payments	5 - 6	8am - 5pm
Bookings & Payments	3 - 4	9am - 6pm
Bookings & Payments	7 - 8	12noon - 9pm
Bookings & Payments	15	4.30pm - 12.30midnight

Credit Facilities

For details of credit card facilities and services for patients whose fees will be paid by companies using credit - go Credit Facilities.

Private Consultation Facilities - PCF

The PCF is on the 1st floor of the radiotherapy block (Radiation therapy, RT, is on the ground floor and offices above the PCF) You can get to PCF by going through the main OPD block. The Private Consultation Facilities are only for company payments, credit card payments and regular and private rate patients.

What for	Days	Times
All types of bookings	Monday - Friday	8am - 4.30pm
All types of bookings	Saturday	8am - 12noon

Cash Counters in the Main Hospital Building

Inside the main hospital building, ie not the OPD block, there are several counters where cash payments can be made and appointments booked. Where they are and their opening times are listed below.

By Main Pharmacy

This cash counter is ONLY to pay for drugs, medicines and tablets purchased in the hospital. Patients cannot pay cash for medicines purchased in the main pharmacy at any other counter.

Billing Section Counter

The Billing counter in the hospital is for financial deposits and refunds. No appointment bookings are possible.

Casualty/Emergency services Counter

The Casualty/Emergency services counter, inside the accident and emergency/ER, is open 24hrs a day. Any bookings related to Casualty/Emergency services can be paid for here - emergency services bills, drugs and medicines, investigations and tests. Advance Registrations for any department or investigations can be made here in the evening and night up to 6am.

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation OPD Counter

The PMR counter, inside the PMR out- patients building on the main hospital site, is open as below. Any bookings for any department can be paid for here - out- patient appointments, in-patient bills, drugs and medicines, investigations and tests.

M Ward Counter

The counter inside the M ward on the main hospital site, is open as below. Any bookings can be paid for here - out-patient appointments, in-patient bills, drugs and medicines, investigations and tests for M ward and other private patients.

B Ward Counter

The counter inside the B ward on the main hospital site, is open as below. Any in-patient bookings can be paid for here - in-patient bills, drugs and medicines, investigations and tests.

Credit Facilities

Credit facilities are available within the main hospital on M ward. For more details on credit cards and companies using credit facilities see below: Credit Facilities

Cash Counters: Outside the Main Hospital Campus, Vellore

There are counters and registration desks at most of the other Christian Medical College sites. This allows patients and their families who are at our peripheral units to book appointments and pay for services without having to travel back to the main hospital.

Counters can be found in the Schell Eye Hospital, the Rehabilitation Institute, the Mental Health Centre, CHAD and RUHSA

Rehabilitation Institute Counter

The counter inside the Rehabilitation unit on the college campus in Bagayam site, is open as below. Any bookings for PMR can be paid for here - out-patient appointments, in-patient bills, drugs and medicines, investigations and tests.

Credit Facilities

You can arrange credit or using a credit card for services in the Rehabilitation Institute with the CARE section counter.

Mental Health Centre, MHC, Counter

The counter inside the Mental Health Centre, MHC, on the college campus in Bagayam site, is open as below. Any bookings for the MHC can be paid for here - out- patient appointments, in-patient bills, drugs and medicines, investigations and tests.

Credit Facilities

You can arrange credit or using a credit card for services in the Mental Health Centre with the CARE section counter.

Schell Hospital Counters

The counters inside the Schell hospital - ophthalmology (eye) department and LCECU ward, 2km from the main hospital site, are open as below. Any bookings can be paid for here - out-patient appointments, in-patient bills, drugs and medicines, investigations and tests.

Credit Facilities & Refunds

Credit Facilities:

Various credit facilities are available at CMC. These include companies billed patients and health insurance companies who have credit authorised at the hospital, using Credit Cards, and patients who make a cash deposit to cover their future bills. These are explained briefly here but more details can be found on the Credit and Reimbursements page.

ACCESS Counter

If you wish to use any credit services at the hospital you need to register first at the ACCESS counter. The ACCESS counter has been started to help sort out credit services for patients when they first arrive at CMC. The ACCESS counter staff work closely with the CARE services.

The ACCESS counter is on the ground floor of the Centenary block, ISSCC.

Cash or Demand Draft Deposits for Self- Paying patients

Patients who wish to make a deposit under the named patient's account using cash or a demand draft may do so at the ACCESS counter. This will allow you to pay for appointments, tests, treatments, drugs etc without having to use cash all the time. You can use any cash counter to pay for appointments and investigations once this deposit has been made. Charges will be taken off / debited from your deposit. Further details available here: CARE services.

CMC's SMART card - the CHRIS card

The CMC SMART card, called the CHRIS card, started in 2006. This will allow you to make a one off payment onto the CHRIS card so you do not have to carry cash with you. Then you use the CHRIS card like a debit card to pay for the services you need within CMC. You will not need to use cash once you have put money onto the CHRIS card.

The minimum amount you need to pay to get a CHRIS card is Rs 5000/-. Once you have the card you have a cash less service within CMC. Please contact the G-32 Medical Records Department, MRD, supervisor and the Cash Counter staff for further information and to purchase the CHRIS card.

Companies using Credit Services

Any patients who will have their healthcare paid for directly by their company, corporation or health insurance should register first with the ACCESS counter. Such patients will be using the hospitals credit facilities. The credit facilities and ACCESS counter are for all our corporate credit paying patients allowing you to have a cash- less service. Please go first to the ACCESS counter to have your company papers processed.

For more information please see the section on Using Credit Companies Services in CMC, Vellore and CARE - the Credit and Reimbursement services at CMC. A list of the health insurance companies registered with CMC can be found here: Health Insurance Companies

CARE Section Counter

CARE is the Credit Authorisation and Reimbursement Services in the hospital. This counter is just for getting credit authorised for credit accounts, cash deposits, refunds and reimbursement certificates and can be used any time of the day or night.

The CARE section is in room 106 on the first floor of the main hospital building near the billing section.

Credit Cards

Credit card payments can be made in the Private Consultation facility / PCF Counters and at the following counters in the main hospital campus, Vellore.

Arranging credit or using a credit card for services in the Rehabilitation Institute, Mental Health Centre or Schell Hospital needs to be organised with the CARE section counter.

More details about registering to use a credit card at CMC can be found on the Credit Services page

Cancellations and Refunds

Refunds can be given to private patients if you need to cancel your out-patient appointments. The service charge will not be refunded. Please go to the refund cash counter located in the CARE Section (room 106)

Cancelling OPD Appointments

Private Patients

The consultation fee will be refunded, but not the Rs.100/- service charge for booking the appointment. Therefore the following amounts will be refunded:

1. New Patient If you are a private new patient Rs.305/- will refunded. This is the cost of the consultation fee only.

   (Rs.405 - 100 = 305, the total cost of the new appointment minus the service charge for the medical records)

2. Repeat Patient If you are a repeat patient, seeing a doctor within 3 months of paying, then Rs.285/- will be refunded. This is the consultation fee only.

   (Rs.395 - 100 = 285, the total cost of the new appointment minus the service charge for the medical records)

3. Patient is Admitted If the patient is admitted, after paying for an appointment to see a consultant in the out-patient clinic and the out- patient appointment is no longer needed, the amount will be refunded in full if the appointment date has not passed.

4. Assistance If you require any assistance with obtaining a refund, please go to Counter No. G32. The Supervisor will help you.

General Patients

We are sorry, but the OPD appointment Registration fee for general patients will not be refunded.

Cancelling Investigations

Investigations and Tests can be cancelled for private and general patients and a partial refund given. To get the refund you must:

• first get the investigation appointment slip and get it signed by the doctor who ordered the investigation. You do not need to book an OPD appointment to do this. You can find the doctor in OPD or on the wards and get his signature.

• Take the signed investigation appointment slip to the department where the investigation would be done. The clerks will confirm that you have not had the investigation done and sign the investigation appointment slip accordingly

• Take the signed slip to the refund counter in the CARE counter.

Tests, Investigations, Medicines and Injections

Payment for Tests & Investigations

The doctor will fill out a form with details of the tests on it. This is the lab requisition master slip. Take this slip, make the payment and then go to the tests/investigations or book the appointment for the test/investigation.

Investigation payments can be made at all payment counters (except pharmacy counters) at

You can pay for the next days investigations in the evening when there is no queue.

In the main OPD Building each floor has a payment counter for patients.

Regular/General and Private rates & Credit Card payments

Patients paying Regular/General (R) or Private (P) rates and credit patients can make payment for investigations at the PCF counters in the 1st floor of RT building, next to the main OPD block - go to PCF section above for more details.

After the PCF is closed payment can be made at the counters on the ground floor of the OPD building. Blood tests can be done at the laboratory in PCF (101)

Job Opportunities in PMR

Vacancies arise within the PMR department at regular intervals. Medical, OT, Physio, speech therapy, orthotics and prosthetic posts and internships are all handled by the principal's Office. Contact details below.

Links

Links to the rest of the PMR web pages are in the column to the left. Hover over (mouse over / move the mouse over) the titles and see more information about the page – double click on the page you want.

Contact Us

Patient care enquiries for PMR: please contact Dr. Debbie Skeil:

Email: pmrcmcv@gmail.com

Appointments

Appointments and Registering by Phone

You may phone the Appointments Call Center any day, at the time shown below. You need to tell us the departments to see, date of visit, Hospital number if you have one etc.

Please note:You need to PAY by CREDIT CARD when you book the appointment by phone.

Here is the number to phone for an appointment.

Day	Time	Telephone
Monday -Sunday	6 am to 11 pm	0416 228 8000

Patients coming back to CMC and who have a CMC hospital number can book appointments online.

Page: http://clin.cmcvellore.ac.in/index.asp#new

Job and internship enquiries

Enquiries about working as a doctor, therapist or nurse and internship enquires: please contact the principal's Office:

Email: princi@cmcvellore.ac.in

Office Phones & Postal Addresses

The numbers into the hospital and college are by Direct Inward Dialling (DID). Callers can get most telephone extensions inside the hospital without using the operators,

The code for India is 91, the Vellore area code is (0)416.
Simply dial 228 then the extension you need.
If you need operator assistance then dial 228 4000.

Eg Ringing Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation office from India:

0 416 228 2158

More detailed contact information can be found at Contact Us

We hope this information is accurate; if you have any additional information that may be useful or spot any mistakes, please let us know.

Last Edited Sept 2009

Christian Medical College, Vellore

PMR Department

Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Website