Mumbai: BMC Hospital OPDs To Accept Digital Payment

Taking yet another step towards improving facilities for the patients at the civic-run hospitals, the BMC has come up with the option of digitally paying case paper fee. A civic employee with a UPI or payment barcode facility will be stationed near the outpatient department (OPD) so that the patients or their relatives can easily pay the fee instead of waiting in long queues.

OPDs installed for ease of patients

Additional Municipal Commissioner (Health) Dr Sudhakar Shinde said that the patients have to come early morning just as there are often long queues to get a case paper, which costs Rs10. The mode of cash payment also results in increased waiting time. “Digitisation is everywhere. Hence, we thought of installing UPI or barcode outside the OPDs for the ease of patients. We have seen that there are long queues to get case papers. At times, the people don't have changes which lead to arguments. So, digital payments will make things faster,” he said.

The decision comes close on the heels of starting the OPDs at 8am instead of 9am. The move aims to reduce the waiting time of people besides diagnosing more patients. Health experts welcomed both the decisions, including the digital payment ones. “The OPD visitors just wish that all their work gets done on time so that they can plan their day accordingly. However, the working culture at the civic-run hospitals force most of them to take leave or half-day from office. Such new measures will benefit them,” said an expert.