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Online registration in hosp: Queueing still not ruled out
The online registration for government hospitals has made the process easy and quick. But it has not eliminated any of the two queues a patient has to go through before meeting a doctor.
LUCKNOW: Karan, 17, reached Civil Hospital in the morning at around 10 am hoping to see a doctor for his mother Usha Devi, 37, as he had made a prior online appointment.
Karan was not supposed to wait in a queue like others getting registration done manually but at a counter where OPD slips were being issued only to those with online appointment. The next step was another queue outside the doctor’s chamber, where those with online as well as manual registration had to wait together.
“It took me 20 minutes to get OPD ticket after online appointment. Had it been a manual registration I would have stood for 45 minutes,” said Karan.
The online registration for government hospitals has made the process easy and quick. But it has not eliminated any of the two queues a patient has to go through before meeting a doctor.
In the first queue, a patient needs to get OPD ticket by giving personal details (age, name, cell number) and in the second queue, he or she has to wait to meet the doctor. Experts say the first queue for those with online registration should be eliminated.
“Online registration is a wonderful idea. But if a patient is coming with online registration, she or he should not be compelled to stand in queue for getting OPD ticket. Such patients should have a direct access to the doctor’s chamber where OPD ticket should also be issued. This is possible with logistic support,” said Dr PK Gupta, former president, Indian Medical Association, Lucknow.
Experts said eliminating at least one queue by using technology was the best option.
How can one of the two queues be eliminated ?
Online registration has all the details, including those of patients and also the department where they wish to see doctor. Hence such patients (with online registration) can be diverted straight to the doctor’s chamber.
“This is possible using software-as-a-service (SAAS). Under this, the computer used at registration counter can be brought to doctor’s chamber, inside or outside. With the help of a printer the OPD ticket can be generated by a staff in the doctor’s chamber on first-come-first-serve basis, thereby eliminating need to stand in one of the queues,” said Hardik Khanna, director, Televas Infomedia Private Limited, a tech firm.
Where technology can be used
“A major patient load is on King George’s Medical University, PGI, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Civil, Balrampur and Lok Bandhu hospitals in the state capital, where by using technology, the first (of the two) queues for registration can be eliminated,” said Dr PK Gupta.
“The ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) ID keeps all patients’ records online and eliminates the need for paperwork. OPD consultation can entirely go online, if the prescription also comes on smartphones via an app or on ABHA ID only,” said Dr Abhishek Shukla, secretary general, Association of International Doctors.
