Ranchi: The department of health, medical education and family welfare on Friday set up an expert committee for planning and designing the overhaul of medical colleges and hospitals across the state.The move came after recent inspections highlighted poor layouts in several govt-run hospitals. Critical units such as ICUs, operation theatres, emergency wards and diagnostic centres were found to be poorly aligned, which in turned affected patient movement and caused delays in treatment, officials said.The panel comprises specialist doctors from Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (Rims) along with representatives from sadar hospitals and the Jharkhand State Building Construction Corporation Limited.Under the new framework, hospital designs will be based on scientific patient flow and workflow principles. “Facilities such as ICUs, OTs, emergency wards, and radiology centres are to be situated on the same floor or in proximity to one another to minimise treatment time, under the new framework. Trauma centres will be located on the ground floor, near the main entrance, to ensure rapid access for ambulances,” a statement issued by the department said.“With a focus on infection control, operation theatres will be developed as fully sterile zones, featuring a clear segregation between clean and contaminated areas. Furthermore, provision of separate lifts and corridors for the movement of patients, hospital staff, and biomedical waste will be mandatory under the new framework,” it added.Construction agencies will now be required to submit their designs to an expert committee which will provide its approval after a review.Times News Network