Jaipur: With an increase in patient registrations, SMS Hospital is set to strengthen its OPD services in high-load departments to reduce crowding and improve patient care. In the first phase, the medicine department will run an evening OPD from 5 pm to 7 pm.
Evening OPD Initiative
Earlier, the hospital had introduced an evening OPD at the emergency department to decongest the emergency unit during evening hours. This time, however, the SMS Hospital will establish the OPD at the Dhanwantri block, where doctors already provide daily OPD services. Currently, the regular OPD operates from 8 am to 2 pm. The new evening OPD arrangements are being made for the summer season, after which a decision regarding its extension will be taken later, a hospital official said.
Inspection and Directives
During an inspection on Thursday, Principal Secretary (Medical Education) Gayatri Rathore directed hospital officials to make immediate arrangements so that patients do not face long waits or treatment delays. During her visit, she noticed the OPD was overflowing with patients, every bench occupied, and many more standing shoulder to shoulder in the corridors. At the blood sample collection centre, a long, slow-moving queue stretched far beyond the counter, reflecting the strain on the hospital's services.
Rathore expressed concern over the situation and directed the hospital authorities to take immediate steps to make treatment more accessible, improve patient flow, and ensure that essential services are delivered more efficiently. She stated that SMS Hospital handles a heavy patient load as one of the country's largest and most prominent hospitals, but patient convenience must remain a priority.
Review of Departments
Rathore reviewed facilities in the Cardiology, Medicine, and Orthopaedics departments at the Dhanvantari OPD. She instructed that departments facing very high patient footfall should consider evening OPD as an alternative arrangement so patients do not have to remain at the hospital for long hours. She said the evening Medicine OPD will have adequate staff, including senior doctors. If the system works well, similar services may later be introduced in other departments.
Medicine Distribution Counters
The Principal Secretary also ordered an increase in medicine distribution counters. She directed that four to five new counters be opened immediately in view of the patient load. She further asked officials to ensure full availability of medicines listed under the essential medicines list. Medicines not available through regular supply should be procured as per rules and made available without delay.
