Siliguri, Oct. 13 -- Siliguri District Hospital is planning to introduce a dedicated smart OPD service during afternoon hours, where patients can consult doctors who no longer practise in the private sector at significantly lower consultation fees.
The proposed service aims to make medical consultations more affordable, particularly for middle-class patients who seek quality healthcare but find private consultation fees expensive. Patients' medical records and other relevant information will be collected and maintained digitally.
The announcement was made by Tourism minister Shankar Ghosh, a member of the Rogi Kalyan Samiti, following a meeting of the committee at Siliguri District Hospital.
The hospital caters to more than 1,500 patients on an average day, putting considerable pressure on its existing healthcare facilities. Due to the heavy patient load and time constraints, many patients struggle to access timely medical consultations. While some turn to private practitioners, some avoid consulting doctors because of high fees.
Keeping these concerns in mind, the hospital authorities have initiated discussions on introducing the smart OPD service.
"We are introducing a smart OPD at the hospital. It will operate separately after the regular hours, allowing patients to consult doctors at less than half the consultation fees charged in the private sector. A proposal for setting up the smart OPD has already been submitted to the Health minister," Ghosh said.
The minister also revealed that plans are underway to develop a common mobile application for Siliguri District Hospital and North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH).
The proposed application will provide regularly updated information on the number of patients in different departments, the availability of vacant beds and the number of units of blood available across different blood groups at the blood bank. The initiative is expected to help people access essential hospital-related information digitally and make more informed decisions while seeking medical care.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.