Mumbai News: To Reduce Wait Time, BMC Hospital OPDs To Start At 8 am Now

Mumbai: To ensure that patients visiting the civic-run hospitals don't have to wait for a long time, the BMC has issued an order, directing all the outpatient departments (OPD) to start by 8 a.m. in place of 9 a.m. It further instructed that all doctors have to compulsorily register their attendance through biometric. If they fail to do so, their salaries will be hit, warned the civic body.

The strict move comes after several patients complained that they have to keep waiting for long as OPDs start late. They bemoaned that the problem further aggravates given the fact that many of them come from far off places. Hospitals like King Edward Memorial, BYL Nair, Lokmanya Tilak and RN Cooper see visitors coming from distant places on a daily basis.

OPDs of all major municipal hospitals to commence at 8 A.M.

“As per the additional municipal commissioner's (AMC) instruction, the OPDs of all major municipal hospitals shall start at 8 a.m. sharp. All doctors shall register their attendance on biometric machines to register in and out timings. The biometric attendance will be linked with the salaries of all doctors. All deans concerned must strictly follow the above instructions with immediate effect,” read a circular issued by AMC Sudhakar Shinde. Dr Shinde further said that the salaries of doctors will be affected if their attendance falls short. Moreover, he also urged to inform about doctors who don't adhere to orders.

Welcoming the move, senior doctors from the civic hospitals said that as per the National Medical Council, OPDs should start by 8 a.m., but the norm was not being followed without a valid reason. “The decision will benefit patients and also allow us to attend to more visitors. Hence, it will reduce our workload.”