Kolkata: The West Bengal Health Department is planning to set up smart OPDs in government hospitals across the state.
In the first phase, the government plans to convert the OPDs of all secondary-level hospitals into smart OPDs. These include 14 district hospitals, 34 sub-divisional hospitals and 27 state general hospitals.
Currently, there are running OPDs in 14,000 government hospitals, medical colleges and health centres, but the patients face a logistical challenge there.
In these normal OPDs, patients consult doctors in one building. Then they have to go to another building some distance away for diagnostic check-ups and investigations. Finally, another building further off will have the pharmacist from whom they purchase the medicines.
Smart OPDs will have doctor consultations, diagnostic investigations and pharmacies all under one roof in a single building for the convenience of the patients.
Already, smart OPDs are being built in Bhatpara State General Hospital and Naihati State General Hospital. An amount of Rs 2 crore for each has been sanctioned from the MPLAD fund of Barrackpur MP Partha Bhaumik. The remaining amount will come from the state health department.
Smart OPDs will get up and running in these two hospitals by year-end.
The School of Tropical Medicine in Kolkata will set up a Smart Clinic on the lines of Smart OPD only.
The malaria clinic is being converted into a Smart Clinic. Patients can collect blood, test and take medicines if they test positive for malaria, all in one day under the same roof.
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