SAMBALPUR: In a bid to provide better medical facilities to patients, a Blood Sample Collection Centre will be developed near the Out Patient Department (OPD) at VSS Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR).Talking to this paper, VIMSAR Director Aswini Kumar Pujahari said patients and their attendants often face difficulties as various types of blood tests are conducted at different locations in the hospital. Once the Blood Sample Collection Centre becomes operational, patients will not have to run around the hospital premises to get their tests done, he said.
At the new centre, nurses will collect blood samples of patients. Some attendants will also be engaged to assist patients. This apart, there are plans to open two new departments of Geriatric Medicine and Emergency in VIMSAR.
Highlighting the necessity of the departments, Pujahari said the number of geriatric patients coming to the hospital is increasing with every passing day. ‘’Keeping this in mind, we have decided to open a Geriatric Medicine department which will provide special attention and hassle-free health service to patients,’’ the Director said.
After establishment of Department of Emergency, paramedical staff will manage the casualty and patients will get better facilities, he said.Terming patient care as his top priority, Pujahari said steps will also be taken to make VIMSAR free from middlemen, ensure presence of doctors during duty hours and provide hassle-free medical care to poor people.
Pujahari, who made news recently after catching two doctors of VIMSAR red-handed while doing private practice during duty hours, said there is a need to streamline the Under Graduate and Post Graduate teaching in the institute.He also revealed that there are plans to start paid evening clinic at the hospital to stop private practice.
The Director has already convened a meeting with all the Heads of Department of VIMSAR and sought their feedback in this regard. Patients, who will visit the evening clinic, will have to pay for consulting a doctor, Pujahari added.