Pandit DeenDayal Updhadhyay Coronation Hospital, based in Dehradun, banned physicians and employees from using mobile phones for private use during office hours on Wednesday.

In a written order, the government-run Coronation Hospital’s Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS), BC Ramola, said both — physicians and personnel — were discovered to use cell phones during an inspection to surf social media.

“Patients complain they don’t get adequate care as physicians stay busy on social media that eventually damages the hospital/state government’s picture and even affects mental health,” read the order.

Ramola added that the employees’ social media activities can be tracked and it will be reflected in their service books if one is discovered using phones. “Any person’s activities can be traced through different techniques. Many have also received warnings and checked their phone documents,”he wrote.

The order further threatened that wages can also be deducted if the individual discovered surfing social media is not following the instructions.

“The allegation that doctors use mobile phones during office hours is groundless. Like any other government hospital, we too operate well above capacity and doctors don’t even have enough time. But if an order has been issued, we don’t have any problem with that,” a senior hospital physician said, asking for anonymity.

While technology has proven to be a blessing for the medical industry, it can also cause some hiccups on the way if overused for wrong reasons.