PANAJI
With online registrations gaining traction, the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) is preparing to introduce doctor-specific online appointments that would bring its outpatient system closer to the model followed by private hospitals.
At present, GMC’s online OPD booking system allows patients to register for departments rather than individual doctors. Under Phase-1 of the rollout, 100 online slots per day are available in each of five departments -- General Medicine, General Surgery, ENT, Orthopaedics and Dermatology -- while walk-in registrations continue simultaneously.
Patients seeking consultation with a particular doctor must still rely on the general departmental queue. That could change soon as the hospital administration is contemplating a system that would allow patients to book appointments with specific doctors within a department, subject to availability.
“It will work much like a private hospital, where a patient can seek an appointment with a specific doctor. The same system will soon be introduced at GMC,” Medical Superintendent of GMC, Dr Rajesh Patil, told The Goan.
The proposed system will, however, factor in doctors’ schedules. If a doctor is unavailable due to pre-scheduled appointments or leave, the system will automatically reject bookings for that day.
The online OPD booking facility was introduced on a trial basis on February 4. Currently, 100 OPD slots per day per department are earmarked for online booking, with OPDs functioning in three daily time slots -- from 10 am to 11 am, 11 am to 12 noon, and 12 noon to 1 pm.
GMC also plans to expand the system beyond the initial five departments. Around 10 more departments are expected to be brought under online registration within the next 15 days, while walk-in registrations will continue in parallel.
“The departments to be included under Phase-2 have not yet been finalised, but it will be done within 15 days. All departments will be brought under the online system in a staggered manner for the convenience of both doctors and patients, and at the same time walk-in registrations will also operate,” the MS said.
