Teleconsultation services:
Services for women and children
Peripheral departments / facilities
Clinical services
Diagnostic services
Emergency services
Pharmacy services
Special areas
Public utility services
SERVICES FOR WOMEN & CHILDREN
The Ida S.Scudder Centenary Center for Women and Children houses the departments of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Reproductive Medicine, Child Health, Neonatology, Paediatric Surgery and Developmental Paediatrics. There are 424 beds for in-patient care in this facility.
PERIPHERAL DEPARTMENTS / FACILITIES
In addition to the main campus on Ida Scudder Road, there are a number of peripheral facilities which are also departments of CMC.
Department of Ophthalmology
The Ophthalmic Department of Christian Medical College is located in the Schell campus 2 km away fromthe main campus, on Arni Road, Vellore. Patients with eye problems should go directly to this department for registration, investigations and treatment. This department like other departments of CMC is a tertiary care unit and equipped with all modern devices.
This department has all subspeciality services like Microsurgery, Pediatric Ophthalmology, Cornea clinic and contact lens services, Orbit and Oculoplastic, Vitreo-retinal Surgery, Lasers, Glaucoma, Ocular inflammatory diseases and Neuro-ophthalmology services. The separate location helps deliver all the dedicated services in a less spread out area making the patient experience more enjoyable.
In order to reach the Ophthalmology Department, take town bus Route No.2 from the main CMC bus stop or Route No.1 from Bagayam, near CHAD Hospital and ask to be dropped off at Eye Hospital.
For further details please contact the Main Reception or write to the Head, Ophthalmology Department, Schell Campus, Arni Road,Vellore - 632 001, Tamil Nadu. Suggestion for improvement or complaints can also be made to the head of the department.
Mental Health Centre (MHC)
CMC’s Department of Psychiatry, is situated on the Christian Medical College Campus at Bagayam, 7 km south of the main campus. Patients with psychiatric problems may go directly to this department for registration, evaluation and treatment. Both inpatient and outpatient services are available.
In order to reach the Mental Health Centre (MHC), take No.1 or 2 town bus from the bus stop near the CMC out-gate which goes to Bagayam. If travelling by personal or hired transport ask for directions to the Bagayam Police station. The Main gate to MHC is next to the Bagayam Police Station.
Nambikkai Nilayam (Facility for children with intellectual disability)
A facility for the evaluation and training of children with Intellectual Disability and other neurodevelopmental conditions like Autism, Cerebral Palsy and Specific Learning Disabilities. Here it is essential that atleast one primary caregiver of the child should be present during the first consultation and subsequent care and training. The initial assessment is done with prior appointment only for which caregivers can contact the office as given below:
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit Office
Department of Psychiatry, Christian Medical College,
Bagayam, Vellore - 632 002, Tamil Nadu.
The facility has a day-care program for families who reside near the centre and an inpatient 24-bed facility for a 3 month intervention program, managed by a multidisciplinary team consisting of Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Occupational therapists, Special educators, Speech therapists and Psychiatric nurses.
Rehabilitation Institute
The Rehabilitation Institute is the inpatient facility of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and was dedicated in 1966 by the then Union Minister for Health Dr.Sushila Nayyar.
This department has recently been designated as a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Developmentof Rehabilitation Technology, Capacity Building and Disability Prevention. Comprehensive multidisciplinary care is provided for people with spinal cord injury, acquired brain injury, cerebral palsy and other conditions leading to cognitive and physical disabilities. The facility also has the movement analysis lab, urodynamics lab, diagnostic ultrasonography services, and spinal cord regeneration research laboratory.
In order to reach the Rehabilitation Institute, take No.1 or 2 town bus from the bus stop near the CMC outgate which goes to Bagayam.
Community Health and Development (CHAD)
This comprehensive health and development programme under the Community Health Department of CMC, Vellore covers approximately 200,000 in the rural, urban and tribal community areas of Vellore Districts. This programme covers the Kaniyambadi block, urban slums of Vellore and the Jawadhi Hills area. The programme is carried out through the joint efforts of medical and nursing staff, social workers and volunteers. Health activities are done in close collaboration with the existing government services. The 135 bed CHAD hospital serves not only as a base hospital for the peripheral programme but also as a secondary health center. For further details write to the Head, Community Health Department, CMC, Bagayam 632002, Vellore District, Tamil Nadu.
Rural Unit for Health and Social Affairs (RUHSA)
Twenty five kms north-west of Vellore in K.V.Kuppam Block is the Rural Unit for Health and Social Affairs (RUHSA). It is an outreach health care programme of Christian Medical College started in 1946 as Kavanur Rural Health Center responding to the felt need for providing health care services to a most backward rural development block in Vellore district – K.V.Kuppam. In 1977 primary health care concept and socioeconomic
development of the community was introduced to overall health care services.
Secondary and primary healthcare:
RUHSA Department provides both secondary and primary level health care services to a population of 120,000 in K.V Kuppam block and also to the residents of other neighboring blocks through its 70-bed Community Health Center and 23 Peripheral Service Centers. Outpatient services include general clinic and specialty clinics for antenatal, well baby, diabetes, TB, HIV, ENT, ophthal, psychiatry, Orthopedics, Dental Care, cancer care, HIV and AIDS counseling, nutrition counselling, occupational therapy services.
Community development programs:
RUHSA directs several programs to advance the health, education and socio-economic status of the community like:-
• Microfinance/ Microcredit schemes for Self help women
groups.
• Youth Clubs
• Farmers clubs
• Elderly day care centers
• Play center for rural children
CLINICAL SERVICES
(click here)
DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES
a) Microbilogy:
In 2015, the bacteriology, mycobacteriology and mycology labs performed 4,48,220 culture-based tests, including rapid diagnostic tests, and the immuno-serology labs, with a repertoire of 38 tests, performed 2,21,555 serological tests. The Molecular lab, equipped with the latest in PCR, performs diagnostic, epidemiological characterisation and molecular typing techniques.
b) Clinical Biochemistry
This NABL-accredited department provides quality diagnostic services, covering 170 routine test types and many others on request. Last year, 48,66,678 tests were performed, handling 15,60,000 specimens. The plethora of techniques includes colorimetry, spectrophotometry, ion exchange chromatography and atomic absorption spectrophotometry.
c) General Pathology
Started in the early 1940s by the Austrian pathologist Dr W. Rosenthal, this department is today a renowned centre across South-East Asia, handling over 50,000 biopsies and 22,000 cytology samples annually. The Department is one of India’s major referral centres for diagnostic pathology. Equipped with up-to-date immunohistochemical panels and state-of-the-art equipment, its molecular pathology and FISH labs feature extensive testing systems, including mutational analysis, T-cell and B-cell clonality assay, MGMT promoter methylation analysis and assays for several brain tumours.
d) Cytogenetics
The Cytogenetics unit runs a full-service diagnostic lab conducting karyotyping, FISH analyses and Mitocin-C testing. In addition, advanced techniques like multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) for the diagnosis of microdeletion syndromes have been set up as a routine service. DNA microarray testing is planned in the near future.
e) Virology
India’s Pulse Polio story, a flagship campaign in global polio eradication, originated in the groundbreaking work of this iconic department. The 3,26,344 diagnostic investigations carried out last year. Its several molecular diagnostic tests for patient care include HPV testing, done as part of WHO’s Lab Net. The NABL-accredited lab is an NRL for NACO.
f) Nuclear Medicine
Over 9,000 diagnostic and more than 500 therapeutic procedures are done annually. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) has ensured a high standard of care. Therapeutic procedures include iodine ablation, samarium therapy and the novel, cost-effective Lutetium-177 therapy. (Read more)
g) Radiology
The Department is one of India’s largest, with one 3T and three 1.5T MRI scanners; one 64-slice, one 16-slice and one 4-slice CT scanner; and one 3D biplane angiography suite.
Filmless since 2002, with all the radiological studies viewed and reported over PACS, the Department handles monthly loads of 50,000-plus radiological studies, which includes nearly 3,000 MRI scans and 4,000 CT scans. The daily vascular and non-vascular intervention counts range between 10 and 15 and 15 and 20, respectively.
h) Transfusion Medicine & Immunohaematology
The past two years have seen steady advances in the Department. New, more specialised haemostasis and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) tests have been added.
The Automated Cell counter area hosts the state-of-the-art cell counters from leading manufacturers around the world, catering to the growing
needs of patients. Increasing numbers of patients can now be seen in the Phlebotomy section and the number of samples processed daily has risen.
In February 2014, NABL declared the lab as ISO 15189-accredited. (Read more)
EMERGENCY SERVICES
a) Accident & Emergency Medicine
The Accident & Emergency Department is open 24 hours for acutely ill patients who arrive at CMC after regular clinic hours needing immediate care. The triage nurse will assess the patient and issue permission slip for registration. ALL PATIENTS MUST REGISTER AT THE
CASUALTY COUNTER with payment of the fees.
Counters are available to pay for emergency investigations and drugs at the Emergency Department.
b) Paediatric Casualty
The Paediatric Casualty department in the ISSCC is open 24 hours and treats children who are brought after regular clinic hours and requiring immediate care. THEY SHOULD REGISTER AT THE CASUALTY COUNTER OR COUNTER NO.15 in ISSCC Building with payment of fees
after getting permission slip from Paediatric Casualty.
Counter No.15 in ISSCC is open for registration upto 12.00 midnight. Thereafter registration can be made at the counter No.3 next to the Accident & Emergency Department.
c) Chest Pain Unit
Patients with chest pain should go directly to this Unit, situated at the entrance of the main campus.
PHARMACY SERVICES
The Hospital’s 24-hour pharmacy services, provided by about 250 staff, dispense around 9,000 prescriptions on weekdays through 27 outlets for outpatients, inpatients and patients at outreach centres. Separating express counters and speciality pharmacies from regular counters has improved efficiency and reduced waiting time to around 8 minutes at express counters and 15 minutes at more crowded, larger services.
A small manufacturing unit, a quality control lab and drug information services add further value. A drug information centre responds to about 50 drug-related queries daily. A pharmacy counselling service in the outpatient areas provides additional information to patients.
The Clinical Pharmacology unit provides vital support to clinical departments in therapeutic drug levels and adverse drug reaction monitoring. Therapeutic monitoring of anti-tuberculosis drugs has strengthened tuberculosis management. Pharmacogenomics for individualised drug dosing and patient care is on the cards.
SPECIAL AREAS
a) Alpha Clinic
Recognising the need to improve the facilities for the private patients and provide a better hospital experience, a multidisciplinary, special Alpha Clinic was started in 2015. (Image on the left shows the Alpha Clinic atrium.)
This has significantly shortened long waiting times for outpatient appointments, consultations and investigations.
b) Critical Care
The Division of Critical Care, comprising the Medical, Surgical and Neurocritical care units, offers high-quality, affordable patient care, provides multidimensional education and publishes practice-changing research relevant to the Indian context.
Over 6,000 patients are managed annually in its various ICUs. The division is an accredited advanced training centre for the Fellowship of the College of Intensive Care Medicine of Australia and New Zealand and the European Diploma in Intensive Care Medicine.
It has also been approved by MCI and by the Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine to award the DM in Critical Care, and a diploma and a fellowship in Critical Care Medicine, respectively.
The Division also conducts courses on Basic Life Support, Advanced Life Support, Basic Emergency Medicine Ultrasound and Advanced Emergency Medicine Ultrasound and short Critical Care courses run by the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
c) Forensic Medicine
The Forensic Medicine department, in collaboration with other departments, including Paediatric Emergency, Child Health and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, has played a key role introducing medico-legal services sexual offence victims. The Department continues to provide medicolegal consultation to clinicians involved in the care of such victims. A secure storage unit has been procured and a specimen register is being maintained to store and dispatch medical specimens collected from the victims.
The Department has also begun planning for a CMC child advocacy centre, in consultation with the University of San Francisco, California. Its medicolegal autopsies, mandatory for many cadaver organ donors, support CMC and the Tamil Nadu Cadaver Organ Donor Transplant Programme.
PUBLIC UTILITY SERVICES FOR PATIENTS AND ATTENDANTS / CARE-TAKERS
1) Dietetics
It offers therapeutic diet planning and execution, diet consultations and dietetic education and research. A professional catering service, rigorously monitored by the Department for quality, quantity and safety, manages inpatient catering.
2) Postal Services
During 2015-16, the Postal Section handled 78,043 letters and 2,013 parcels.
3) Telephones
4) Banking Services
5) Spiritual and Pastoral Care
6) Burial and Cremation Assistance Services for women and children