Goa Medical College Introduces Digital Appointment Booking System
In a significant move to modernize healthcare services, the Goa Medical College (GMC) in Panaji has announced the launch of an online appointment booking facility for patients. This initiative, revealed by Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Wednesday, marks the first time GMC will offer such digital convenience to its visitors.
Initial Rollout for Five Key Departments
The online appointment system will initially be available for five outpatient departments (OPDs): medicine, surgery, skin, ENT, and orthopaedics. This strategic selection aims to address high-demand areas where patients often face long waiting times.
The primary objectives of this digital transformation are:
- Reducing lengthy queues at the hospital
- Optimizing patient waiting periods
- Enabling better planning of hospital visits
How the New System Works
Patients can access the booking platform through two channels: the official GMC website or the patient portal developed by Hunnarvi Technologies. The registration process has been designed for simplicity:
- Users authenticate their identity using their mobile number
- First-time users complete a brief registration
- Patients select their preferred department, date, and available time slot
Operational Details and Capacity
During the initial implementation phase, GMC will offer a maximum of 100 online appointment slots per day from Monday to Saturday across the five departments. These slots will be distributed across three time periods:
- 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
- 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
- 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Each time slot will accommodate approximately 33 bookings, ensuring manageable patient flow throughout the morning hours.
Hybrid Approach and Booking Window
Hospital officials emphasized that this system represents a hybrid approach rather than a complete digital transition. Walk-in patients will continue to be accommodated alongside those with online appointments. The booking window will remain open for seven days in advance, with daily bookings closing at 5:00 PM on the preceding day.
Any online slots that remain unfilled will automatically be added to the walk-in patient quota, ensuring optimal utilization of available medical resources and minimizing empty appointment slots.
This digital initiative by Goa Medical College represents a forward-looking approach to healthcare management, combining technological innovation with practical patient needs. By reducing administrative bottlenecks and improving patient experience, GMC sets a precedent for other medical institutions in the region to follow.
