Staff crunch at PGI test counters adds to patients' woes
In the New OPD Building of the PGIMER, tests are conducted from 8 am to 1pm and on a daily basis about 7,000 blood samples are collected. In room No. 25, there are three medical record technicians dealing on an average with over 1,500 patients.
One has to follow a tedious process to get their tests done in PGI. Firstly, the patient stands in the queue at counter No. 6,7 or 23, 24 for tests' payment. On counter No. 23 that is for payment of X-ray, ultrasound, CT scan and MRI, there is one worker accepting payment for male, female, senior citizens and PGI staff categories that have separate lines. Due to one person accepting all payments, different lines often get merged up and senior citizens suffer the most due to the chaotic situation.
Ranjit Kaur, 60, who had come from Gurdaspur for her back pain, couldn't find a line for senior citizens at counter No. 23 as she wanted to make payment for her MRI test.
Due to the limited time-frame for tests at PGIMER i.e. 8 am to 1pm, patients start gathering outside the sample collection room and payment counters from 6 am onwards. After making the payment for blood sample tests at counter no. 6 or 7, the patient has to stand in another line at room no. 25 where barcodes with patient names are generated. To get the barcodes, patients wait for almost 2 hours and it can increase depending on the rush. Having received the barcode, patients stand in another line to give samples. The entire process consumes 3-4 hours.
Though it is not compulsory to get one's tests done inside PGIMER, due to authentic results and on doctor's insistence patients tend to get them done at the institute only.
Tara Devi, 42, standing in line for her 55-year-old relative, said, 'I have been standing in line since 8.30 am and more than one-and-a-half hour has passed but it looks like the line is not moving'. Another attendant, Aiysha, standing in line for her mother, said, 'I have been standing in line since 8 am for my mother who got an eye stroke. A few women came later and stood in front of us due to which our turn came very late'.
Director of PGIMER Dr Vivek Lal said, 'Though on all 52 sanctioned posts of medical record technicians, outsourced workers have been hired, we'll see if we can increase their number. In addition, we are keenly following the computer upgrade work so that things get automated and people don't have to stand in queues for registration and other things,'
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