Chandigarh PGIMER wants referral system in place before starting OPD services

Director PGIMER also said OPDs will restart only once social distancing measures are in place

Even though the lockdown in the city has been relaxed to an extent, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) is focusing on strengthening the referral system before it throws open the out-patient department (OPD) for patients, for which no date has been fixed yet.

The Post Graduate of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) is pushing for popularising tele-medicine and tele-consultation services through which need-based appointments can be provided (HT file photo)

Director PGIMER Dr Jagat Ram said it is impossible to re-start OPDs until adequate measures are not in place for social distancing.

“We are working on several things. One is that patients from the city who require our services should be referred from Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH-32) and Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH-16) and patients from the neighbouring state must be referred from district hospitals,” Dr Jagat Ram said.

Around 10,000 patients visit the PGI in a day, most of whom travel long distances from neighbouring states for better medical services which are shut since March 20.

Dr GD Puri, dean (academics) and chairman of the panel constituted for re-opening of OPDs, said they were pushing for popularising tele-medicine and tele-consultation services through which need-based appointments can be provided.