The Department of Medicine is one of the pillars of Christian Medical College and Hospital and has five units. Keeping with the vision of the institution, we focus on education, research, and patient care, giving equal attention to all three disciplines.
Our expertise is in General Internal Medicine. We deal with all medical cases – ranging from common conditions like diabetes, hypertension, tuberculosis, stroke, and poisonings to complex, multi system disorders that overlap many specialities like Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Sarcoidosis. We also deal with emergencies in conjunction with the emergency department and critically ill patients in conjunction with the division of critical care.
The Department of Medicine was founded in 1948 by the pioneering efforts of Dr. T. S Koshy, Dr. K.I Vythilingam and Dr. P. Koshy. Subsequently, the torch was passed on to Dr. T.S Koshy, Dr. Satyabama Johnson, Dr. B.M Pulimood, Dr. Lilly John, Dr. A.M Cherian, Dr. Alka Ganesh, Dr. Dilip Mathai, Dr. Kurien Thomas, Dr. George John, Dr. Anand Zachariah and Dr. O.C. Abraham. All of them gave exemplary service towards bringing the department glory and laurels.
Specialisation fragmentation
We are not limited to any speciality. We see and treat ,as necessary, patients with any complaint except those who may need surgical intervention.
Services
Outpatient services
We see about 213,135 patients in a year in the OPD. Our outpatient days are from Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 5 pm in the second floor of the new OPD building (210) adjacent to blood bank. Each day there are two units seeing the patients in the OPD except on Saturdays when only one unit sees the OPD patients.
The units that sit in the OPD each day is as follows:
Mondays: Medicine 3 and Medicine 4
Tuesdays: Medicine 1 and Medicine 2
Wednesdays: Medicine 3 and Medicine 5
Thursdays: Medicine 2 and Medicine 4
Fridays: Medicine 3 and Medicine 5
Every Saturday each unit sees the out patients on a rotation basis with each unit sitting in the OPD once every 5 weeks.
We do a comprehensive assessment of the patient based on his/her complaints and physical examination findings and refer the patients when required for inputs from other departments like Nephrology, Neurology, Rheumatology, Cardiology etc.
Inpatient services
We manage about 7391 in-patients per year. We see all kinds of patients with both acute and chronic medical conditions as well as infectious and non-infectious diseases. The approximate average turn-over time per patient is about seven days. Our patients are admitted in the “I” ward (for general patients), O6West and A-Block wards (private patients). Those who are acutely ill and unstable are managed in the Medical High Dependency and Intensive care unit, until they are stabilized. Those with infectious diseases with a potential for transmission are managed in the Isolation ward with due precautions. Conditions that require no significant sub/super-speciality interventions are fully managed under us while those conditions that required other speciality interventions are promptly referred for optimal management. Care is provided by a team of dedicated and trained doctors, nurses, counsellors, and other support staff. At discharge the patients are provided with a complete report with appropriate care plan for in the OPD for ensuring continuum of care.
The number of beds per unit and the wards (for general patients) are as follows:
|
Medical Unit
|
Ward
|
Number of Beds
|
|
1
|
I
|
28
|
|
2
|
C
|
28
|
|
3
|
E
|
28
|
|
4
|
I and MTS4
|
8 and 19 respectively
|
|
5
|
C and E
|
12 in each ward
|
ConsultationsWe see consultations that are mainly from Departments of Surgery, Urology, Orthopaedics, Dermatology, Radiotherapy. They deal with patients with numerous comorbidities like diabetics for sugar control, hypertensives for blood pressure control, endocrine dysfunctions like hypothyroidism, acute febrile illnesses etc.Clinical and laboratory servicesWe do clinical assessments based on the presenting complaints of the patient. Laboratory investigations to be sent are based upon the complaints and the clinical examination findings of the patient.
Undergraduate medical training
The faculty take lectures and bedside clinics for the undergraduates. We also organise the practical examination for university examination for final M.B.B.S students
M.D. Postgraduate training
We have an ongoing MCI recognized MD (General Medicine) program, with a total annual intake of sixteen seats. The postgraduate training is mainly a hands-on training with intensive journal clubs, seminars, bedside clinics, daily rounds and a dissertation. At the end of the program, the postgraduate should be able to deliver holistic care to every individual, keeping in mind the financial burden, in an ethical way.
CMEs
We hold annual CMEs for doctors working in mission hospitals to update their practice of general medicine. We also aid the Distance Education Department at CMC and take classes for the doctors in the periphery. The faculty take lectures and bedside clinics for the undergraduates. We also organise the practical examination for university examination for final M.B.B.S students.
