Delhi AIIMS planning for patient referral system to enhance patient care services

New Delhi: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, is reportedly working on a new referral mechanism for sending patients to other hospitals after stabilising them at the hospital. The fundamental focus is going to be on improving patient care services and creating a patient-friendly environment.

In a move to focus its resources and expertise on complicated cases, the premier facility is working on creating a referral mechanism to send patients to other hospitals.

In an interview with PTI, Dr M Srinivas said the much sought-after facility receives around 8,000 to 15,000 patients in the Out Patient Department per day and it is "very difficult for us to manage" the crowd.

Also Read:Referral Mechanism of emergency Patients in Delhi: AIIMS director calls a meeting of all government hospitals

Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported that in a bid to develop a formal mechanism for the cross-referral of stable emergency patients to other government hospitals, AIIMS Delhi Director Dr M Srinivas had met with Medical Superintendents and Directors of 20 government hospitals regarding emergency referrals. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) had launched a dashboard on its website which shows bed availability and the number of patients waiting for admissions.

Dr Srinivas, who took over as director of the institute last month, said a meeting of medical superintendents and administrators of all Delhi government and central government hospitals in Delhi was held at AIIMS last month.

"What we are planning is that if a patient comes to this hospital we can stabilise him and give him the necessary first aid and if bed is not available here then perhaps send him to a secondary care hospital where a bed is available.

"Similarly, there are secondary care hospitals of Delhi which may refer to AIIMS the complex and complicated cases which require special expertise," Dr Srinivas said. "The aim is to share in such a way to ensure optimal utilisation of resources, beds and expertise. In addition, if a patient is from Bihar they can go to the AIIMS Patna, IGIMS Patna or any other medical colleges of Bihar, and doctors after examining the patient, if needed can refer him or her to AIIMS, New Delhi and we give preferential admission," Dr Srinivas said.

The director said the fundamental focus is going to be on improving patient care services and creating a patient-friendly environment.

He said that after taking over, he found the biggest challenge was the footfall of patients every day. "We get around 8,000 to 15,000 patients in the AIIMS OPD per day and it was very difficult for us to manage so what we have done is that we have introduced the slot-wise appointments system for patients without prior appointments." From November 1, all prior new RAK OPD (Rajkumari Amrit Kaur OPD) and surgical block OPD appointments are being done slot-wise such as from 8 – 9, AM,9-10 AM, 10 – 11 AM, etc slots so that patients can come at that particular slot time. This will reduce the crowding over here, he said.

Secondly, a separate reception area is being made for patients who come without appointments, he said.

"They will be asked to sit there and take an appointment for the particular slot and then move on to the main building to the see the doctor in that particular time. That will reduce the crowding that is something we have planned for the new OPD building," the director said.

Besides, Dr Srinivas said a live casualty dashboard which shows the real-time emergency bed status and the number of patients waiting for admissions has been launched, he said. "If you look into the CT, MRIs, we have started doing 24×7 now that has again reduced our waiting list to certain extent." On his plans to root out corruption and ensure good governance, Dr Srinivas said, "Once we come paperless with respect to the e-office and HIMS along with the implementation of the electronic Human Resources Management System (HRMS) will bring a lot of good governance and transparency.

"The second thing is we have taken lot of initiatives to prevent the touts and agents coming to this institution and many people have been caught and handed over to the police. We are trying to provide whatever is necessary for the patients within the hospital." AIIMS, Delhi will go paperless from January, 2023 and doctors would be able to access the patient's medical records with a single click.

The National Informatics Centre (NIC) recently demonstrated its e-Hospital modules to all the Heads of Departments, Chiefs of Centres and IT/ Telemedicine/ OPD nodal officers of all departments. Dr Srinivas further stated the presence and movement of unauthorised agents from private establishments at hospital premises for monetary gains is a major issue and that the security, doctors, nurses and other staff member have been asked to report such activity.

"Whatever is necessary for the patients we are trying to arrange within the hospital itself so that they don't have to call private agents in the hospitals. We have also generated a special WhatsApp number on which doctors, nurses and staff members can report even on slightest suspicion of presence of any unauthorized and unidentified person in the campus," he said.

On the master plan for the redevelopment of AIIMS campus which was prepared by his predecessor Dr Randeep Guleria, Dr Srinivas said the master plan is a big vision. "I guess it goes up to the tune of Rs 15,000 crore. The master plan has been debated and we have gone through various levels of clearance. Now it will go to the health ministry and then to the cabinet. We are very confident it will go through," he said.

On being asked about his vision for AIIMS, New Delhi for the next five years, Dr Srinivas said the mantra is going to be good governance and transparency and enhance patient care services. "We will definitely improve the patient care services, and I think once we become paperless and all the dashboards come into picture we will be able to monitor all our activities that will enhance our patient care services."

Also Read:20 Govt hospitals in Delhi to have cross-referral mechanism for emergency patients