Now, OPDs at govt hospitals to start from 7:30 am

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government has taken a decision to extend the daily OPD consultation timing for two hours at the government-run hospitals. The OPDs will start from 7:30 am instead of 8:30 am and the timing for doctor's consultation will become 8 am instead of 9 am, the department of health has decided.

"Ensure that the OPD remains open and functional from 8 am-2 pm. So that there is sufficient time for the patients to be attended to and they are not squeezed into a two and a half hour times slot and the crowding can be lessened," Health and Family Welfare Minister Satyendar Jain directed the Medical Superintendents of Delhi government hospitals.

He further directed that registration counters should be open at 7:30 am and close at 1 pm. "Adequate arrangements shall be made for this. A maximum number of registration counters be opened as to reduce the waiting time for registration to less than or equal to 15 minutes," Jain said.

The sources in the government said that after various visits at the state-run hospitals the minister learned that the families of the patients face problem regarding the short timing of OPDs.

" These hospitals have huge pressure on the OPDs and cannot accommodate all the patients at this short time," an official said. This decision should start from Tuesday itself. However, the officials admitted that this decision may take some time to start as the hospitals will have to decide on the change.

The officials also said that this step will help a lot of poor people who come to these hospitals. If this plan works well then the department would take forward this decision with more changes in the shift. The minister and the officials would also visit the hospitals to look whether this working properly or not.