LAHORE - The Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) has presented a proposal to integrate general practitioners’ (GPs’) clinics with secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities. This initiative aims to develop a two-way referral linkage to improve patient care and optimise resource allocation. The initiated was shared at a consultative meeting, chaired by PHC Chief Executive Officer Dr. Muhammad Saqib Aziz, held at the PHC head office here on Saturday, with representatives of the Pakistan Academy of Family Physicians (PAFP). Dr. Aziz highlighted the existing gaps in patient referrals from GPs to specialized healthcare and presented the integration proposal as a beneficial solution for both patients and healthcare providers. He emphasized the importance of continuous consultation with stakeholders and described the meeting as a step towards achieving consensus on this initiative. Key challenges such as overcrowding and long waiting times in healthcare facilities were discussed.
The proposal aims to empower GPs to manage primary care needs and act as gatekeepers, referring only complex cases to higher-level facilities.
Benefits of the proposal include improved access to primary care, reduced overcrowding in specialized hospitals, standardized training and referral protocols, and financial incentives for GPs, such as inclusion in national health insurance programs and zero-interest loans from the Punjab Health Foundation.
The proposal also includes capacity-building for GPs through structured training programs designed by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan and the University of Health Sciences. Only GPs who complete this training would be included in the integrated referral linkages.
Participants appreciated PHC’s efforts to improve healthcare services through hospital grading and ranking. They acknowledged the benefits of formal training and recognition for GPs, as well as the financial security provided by the empanelment of clinics. It was agreed that an action plan for implementation would be formulated to achieve broader consensus.
