Vardhan seeks improvement in emergency services at AIIMS

Bats for a single-window registration for elderly patients to help them get check-ups

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan today sought improvement in triaging, the initial process of attending to patients in an emergency, and suggested that resident doctors and nurses should be deployed full time to oversee that patients are given timely attention.

"Resident doctors or nurses may be deployed there (emergency ward) full time, over shifts to ensure that the triaging of patients does not leave them dissatisfied," he said.

Speaking to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) management, doctors and nurses, the minister also batted for a single-window registration for elderly patients to help them get check-ups such as blood test, CT scan and MRI done from one spot.

Vardhan interacted with several patients and their kin to gain insight into the waiting time for patients till they are attended to by doctors in the OPD, official sources said.

The minister said waiting time also needs to be reduced for patients who do not get an appointment on a particular day and fix an appointment for the next day.

This would ease pressure on patients and their relatives waiting in the OPD without getting any information about when they should next come to the hospital, Vardhan said.

He advised doctors and nurses to deal with patients with "compassion" and "gentle communication" is as important as an effective treatment.

Vardhan visited AIIMS to review the efforts made towards a 'Green AIIMS' campaign that he had announced on June 5 on the occasion of International Environment Day.

Under the initiative, efforts will be made by city hospitals to incorporate processes and principles that reduce waste, recycle and reuse resources and conserve energy.