‘Evening OPD concept will help achieve health for all’
Even pvt doctors can offer services under this arrangement, says IMA (Lucknow) president
LUCKNOW: Patients and attendants facing inconvenience due to long queues at government hospitals needn’t worry as ‘evening OPD’ services would soon come as a relief to them.
As per plan, doctors will be available in government hospitals in the evening time as well. At present, the OPD timings are from 8 am to 2 pm on weekdays.
Health minister Siddharthnath Singh had recently said that several measures were being planned to address the shortage of doctors in UP and the private sectors would also be involved in this task.
“The concept will help achieve health for all. In fact, not just government but even private doctors can offer services under this concept,” said Dr PK Gupta, president IMA, Lucknow, adding: “But they should be given due remuneration for this.”
“Participation of private doctors will certainly help improve the situation. Timings in morning and evening need to be fixed which give options to work. Besides, the number of patients should be limited to a maximum 50 for such special OPDs so that each patient gets required time,” said Dr Rama Srivastava.
Dr Anoop Agrawal, secretary, Lucknow Nursing Home Association said, “This will optimally utilise the government hospital infrastructure, as OPD complexes remain closed after 2 pm.”
“The engagement should be such that private doctors get due recognition as more than money this step will be for improving healthcare system of the state,” said Dr Sandeep Kapoor, director Healthcity Trauma Centre and Superspeciality Hospital.
A meeting of office-bearers of private doctors’ association and officials at the state health directorate was held recently to discuss the issue. “We have submitted a proposal on how we can help in government sector. A formal meeting on the issue is awaited,” said Dr Suresh Talwar, the association’s president.
However, government doctors have a different view and they say existing workforce should first be enhanced. Dr Ashok Yadav, president of Provincial Medical Services Association – the body of government doctors – said: “Government doctors are overburdened with work as they are less in number.” He said drug distribution and minor procedures require pharmacists and paramedical staff too. Hence, all this needs to be decided upon. “Evening OPD in rural areas might not be practical due to infrastructure, law and order problems. However, in rural area availability of doctors during regular OPD must be ensured through biometric monitoring as this will solve a lot of problems,” he pointed out. What is evening OPD concept? Government hospitals run OPD for patients from morning till afternoon (8 am to 2 pm). But there are patients who are unable to meet the doctor due to long queues or do not find time to come during these hours. For such patients, the concept of evening OPD is likely to be introduced in government hospitals across the state.
Under the evening OPD system, one or more doctors of different specialty will be available in the same OPD chambers sometime between 4 pm and 8 pm. If the hospital has five physicians in all, one of them can sit in the evening OPD on every working day.
The days of the doctor will be announced in advance and those willing to visit them may get prior appointment. Since the concept will demand extra efforts by doctors, they may be remunerated separately for this job. But a final proposal on the same is yet to come from the state health department. OPDs run in a separate building on the hospital campus, and after the OPD timings the portion remains unused. The idea of evening clinics/OPDs is to utilize the building completely. The initiative will also facilitate employees in government and private sector who are unable to see the doctor due to office timings. Students (patients) can also get follow-up done without missing classes.