In a significant leap for digital healthcare in North India, the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, has successfully activated its comprehensive Hospital Information System (HIS) at its Sangrur Satellite Centre. The system went live on January 1, 2026, marking a pivotal New Year milestone in the institute's mission to modernise public health services through technology.
A Blueprint for Digital Transformation
Professor Vivek Lal, Director of PGIMER, emphasised the strategic importance of this rollout. He stated that the successful implementation at Sangrur demonstrates PGIMER's dedicated strategy for the complete digitisation of hospital operations. The system is engineered to boost operational efficiency, ensure greater transparency, and significantly improve patient convenience. The same digital framework will be strengthened and replicated at the main PGIMER campus in Chandigarh, aiming to deliver uniform, seamless, and patient-centric services across all PGI facilities.
Phased Rollout of Key Modules
The initial phase of the HIS at the 350-bed Sangrur centre has made several essential modules operational for daily use. These include patient registration, billing, and admission–discharge–transfer (ADT) processes. According to officials, additional critical modules are in the final stages of training and testing. These include a dedicated doctor's desk interface, integrated laboratory services, and a comprehensive stores and inventory management system. These are scheduled for rollout shortly to finalise a fully integrated digital workflow for the hospital.
Collaborative Effort Meets Strategic Goal
Pankaj Rai, Deputy Director (Administration) at PGI, provided details on the execution. He noted that a clear deadline of January 1, 2026, was set for the Sangrur HIS go-live, a target achieved through meticulous planning and the sustained, coordinated efforts of all involved teams. The Hospital Information System has been developed by C-DAC (Centre for Development of Advanced Computing), Noida, as a core component of PGIMER's broader digital transformation roadmap.
Rai added that the Sangrur Satellite Centre's adoption of this robust system positions it as an early adopter. The primary goals are to streamline hospital administration, enable real-time data access for better decision-making, and ultimately enhance the overall quality of patient care. The successful commissioning, Rai concluded, underscores PGI's commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to strengthen public healthcare delivery and advance efficient, transparent, and patient-focused medical services.
