Connect with us

Headlines of The Day

Services at GMCH, Mayo Hospital in Nagpur crippled

Services at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) and IGGMCH (Mayo Hospital) in Nagpur as well as other parts of the state witnessed chaos after the State Government abruptly terminated the Hospital Management and Information System (HMIS) contract late on Tuesday night, according to media reports.

At GMCH and IGGMCH, long queues were formed as the staff returned to make manual entries almost after a decade of following digital mode. With several relatives accompanying patients, the numbers of people present in wards and OPDs swelled. The move also came at a time when medical colleges are teeming with a large number of patients due to seasonal infections as well as other diseases. Blood and radiological investigation reports of the last two days were difficult to access for doctors and patients because of the discontinuation of HMIS.

Reports said that patients requiring investigation, especially X-Ray, had to bring the hard copies from the radiology department which the doctor had been accessing directly on the hospital portal using patient registration numbers. The OPDs for new and old patients were given cards. Sources said the system was outdated and a new digital interface is likely to be introduced.

According to reports, nursing services too were hampered as the nurses were unable to post their medicine requirements on the portal. Without HMIS, the nurses had to go to collect the medicines from the hospital pharmacy.

Sources in medical colleges alleged a legal tussle over pending payment to the contractor led to the sudden termination of HMIS. There was also friction over the fee charged by the contractor. They said it was charging around Rs 6 per each new OPD paper in the Rs 20 government fee. After the health department took the drastic decision, the disgruntled contractor has allegedly refused to provide backup data. A new HMIS contractor is likely to be appointed soon, reports said.

The old HMIS system has many loopholes that need to be fixed. All this led to sudden suspension of the system at state-run medical colleges and hospitals. A new system (HMIS 2.0) will be in place soon, sources said and added that the software for the new system was already there and just needed an upgrade.

Sources informed that the Union Government has prescribed certain things under the digital health mission. We also want to incorporate it. There should be a system integrating the patient work not only at state-run medical colleges attached to hospitals, but also at the state health services’ healthcare units. These are the changes, which will happen shortly.

Officials added it can’t be ruled out that patient treatment too suffered in the day. Records about medication may have gone for a toss. The data on the number of drugs available, how many to be given and how many have been given to admitted patients has gone. So some patients could have gotten more or less doses, they said. Nagpur Today

Copyright © 2024 Medical Buyer

error: Content is protected !!