HMIS delayed: Mumbaikars won't get rid of hospital queues soon

If you are among the thousands who are eagerly waiting to get rid of long queues with an implementation of hospital management information system' (HMIS), your wait just got longer. BYL Nair Charitable Hospital was supposed to be the first hospital to introduce the system. Technical issues have delayed its implementation by a few more months.

A year ago, work on technical skills of the system was started, but according to the hospital authority, they will take few more months to executive the digital system.

Till last year, around 3000 staff members of the hospital were given technical training to operate the system. According to the BMC's health department, the HMISsystem for civic hospitals and medical colleges across the city will cost approximately more than 70 crore rupees.

Dr RN Bharmal, Nair Hospital's dean, said, "We are working on the internet connection as the online system project will need long term internet service without any technical issues. The work is in the process, but we need a few more time to start the pilot project to work on technical backup and potential glitches which may occur in the future."

Swati Patil, a health activist stated that civic authority should first look at the basic needs of the patients coming to civic hospitals. She, said, "Not everyone coming to civic hospitals knows how to access the files online or digitally. The civic authority should primarily fulfil the basic needs of the patients like keeps stock of medicine, basic infrastructure and medical equipment to name a few."

THE SYSTEM

Patients will get unique health cards, which will hold a specific number that will help doctors get information about them. On feeding this number into their data, they will get the patient’s personal details, health history and real-time health records