PGIMER OPDs soon to have Biometric attendance for doctors

Chandigarh: The Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research’s OPD is to soon have a biometrics attendance system installed in its Outpatient department. This is being done to keep a check on doctor attendance. The success of the system in the administrative block has led the authorities to take a decision of installing it in the PGI OPDs.

Professor, Jagat Ram had last year emphasized the need of doctors inculcating a habit of punctuality that would then lead to improved patient care. To initiate the process, the PGI authorities had decided to install biometrics machine in the Director’s office.

Presently, there is no way to track entry and exit of doctors in OPDs.

A footfall of more than 6,000 patients is witnessed in the OPDs daily in the hospital. Of the 1,700 total doctor strength in the PGI at any given time, 1,000 are posted at different OPDs. The next phase of biometric installations are to involve the medical superintendent’s office and the radiodiagnosis department

Biometrics are finger and thumb print-based. “We will have the system installed in the OPDs to avoid the patient rush. It is often seen if doctors do not come on time, patients are kept waiting for long, which increases the rush,” said Dr Jagat Ram to the TOI. He said, “Every doctor has OPD days and is supposed to attend it on time. But most of the OPDs continue even after their timings due to patient rush.”

The UT health department had proposed to start biometric attendance in Government Medical College and Hospital, (GMCH), Sector 32 and Government Multi-specialty hospital (GMSH), Sector 16 last year. The GMCH has biometrics as per the Medical Council of India norms, making it mandatory for medical colleges.