NEW DELHI: In a move to increase transparency and improving patient experience, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) will now provide real-time online information regarding waiting periods for diagnostic tests and surgeries.
The initiative, directed by AIIMS Director Dr M Srinivas, seeks to address the persistent issue of long waiting times faced by OPD patients for procedures such as ultrasound, CT scans, MRIs, and various surgeries.
AIIMS, one of the city’s busiest tertiary care hospitals, has been under immense patient load, resulting in waiting periods stretching into months or even years for certain tests and surgeries. Patients complain ENT surgeries currently have a waiting period of up to three years, orthopedic procedures up to two years, and neurosurgeries about one and a half years.
Heart surgeries, too, often see delays of several years. Even basic diagnostic services like ultrasound and egg load tests have months-long queues, with some appointments scheduled up to two years later. To combat this crisis and reduce patient distress, AIIMS is integrating these waiting time details into its existing online dashboard, Janlaksh.
The portal will display updated data on test and treatment waiting lists, helping patients make informed decisions and explore alternatives in other government hospitals. “This measure is expected to decongest the AIIMS system by encouraging more balanced utilization of medical resources across facilities,” a senior official said.
The online dashboard was first proposed on Nov 4, 2022, with initial instructions to provide real-time data on bed availability in general and private wards, emergency admissions, and lab appointments.
Meanwhile, partial data, including OPD attendance and emergency trauma centre availability, is currently accessible.