Patna: Patients suffering from diabetes, thyroid and liver-related diseases are set to get relief at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH).
The hospital administration has decided to increase the outpatient department (OPD) services of the Endocrinology and Gastroenterology departments from two days to six days a week. The new arrangement is expected to begin by the last week of September.
PMCH Superintendent Dr Rajiv Kumar Singh said both departments currently have three specialist doctors each.
OPD to Operate Six Days a Week
At present, the OPDs of both departments operate only two days a week. Despite treatment being provided by all three specialists, the number of patients remains high.
As a result, patients often have to wait for a long time. In some cases, they have to return without consultation because the OPD is not operating on that particular day.
With the OPDs functioning six days a week, the two departments will be able to treat more than 1,000 additional patients every week.
Currently, more than 500 patients visit these OPDs every day. Increasing the number of OPD days is expected to reduce crowding and give patients more opportunities to consult specialist doctors.
Five More Departments to Shift to New Building
The PMCH administration is also working to bring OPDs of more departments to a common location so that patients do not have to move between different hospital buildings.
At present, OPDs including Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Ophthalmology, Medicine and ENT are being operated from the new building.
Five more departments are now being shifted to the new building. These include Surgery, Orthopaedics, Plastic Surgery, Gastroenterology and Neuro Medicine.
Once the departments are shifted, patients will be able to access multiple specialist services within the same premises.
The move is expected to make treatment more convenient for patients coming from across Bihar and also help the hospital manage OPD crowds more effectively.
