Come December, PGI’s eye centre to go paperless

At present, each patient undergoing treatment at the department has to carry a file bearing their records with them.

The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research’s (PGIMER’s) advanced eye centre is all set to introduce a computerised system to record patient data in December, which will allow it to go paperless.

The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research’s (PGIMER’s) advanced eye centre is all set to introduce a computerised system to record patient data in December, which will allow it to go paperless. (Representational Image/HT File)

At present, each patient undergoing treatment at the department has to carry a file bearing their records with them. The electronic medical record (EMR) for the department of ophthalmology will cover all clinics and labs at the advanced eye centre with respect to patient visits, diagnosis, treatment, investigations and follow-ups. It will include services such as registration, history, diagnose, prescriptions, investigations, procedures and appointments. Most reports are already sent on mobile phones, which has reduced the requirement for hard copies.

Once the system is put into effect, patients will no longer have to stand in queues after getting their cards made at the registration counter. Earlier, patients had to wait for at least an hour to prepare their files before being able to get a consultation. The new software will allow doctors to directly enter the patient record into the software, which will allow them to be accessed by any medical professional in the department.The queue management system has also been integrated with the project, which will reduce the wait time.

“The new technology-based system will be a great help for patients and their attendants as at present they have to stand in the queue for around two hours. Doctors would ask attendants to get old files from the registration counter, which also increased the waiting time”, said Ankush Kumar, a patient undergoing treatment at the centre.

Once the institute upgrades its hospital information system (HIS) to an updated version, patients will start getting text messages on their mobile phones for appointments. It may take around six months to make the system functional.

PGIMER director professor Vivek Lal said, “We are making efforts to make the advanced eye centre paperless so that patients are not harassed. This will save patients’ time and allow doctors to treat more patients.”