Thane’s civic hospitals soon to don a digital look

Thane: Thane’s biggest civic hospital will soon don a digital look as the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has planned to implement ‘Hospital Information Management System’ project which will cost around Rs 14 crore. The digital hospital will have a complete medical history of patients as well as the record of students studying at its medical college.

Thane has two public hospitals – the civil hospital run by State Government and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj or Kalwa Hospital run by TMC.

Kalwa Hospital witnesses long queues wherein patients come here from distant places for minor or major ailments, who most of the times are seen carrying case paper files. As per the new ‘digital system’ this scenario will soon change, relieving patients of their ordeal.

Since these procedures take too much time the TMC has decided to initiate this project. Patients will now be handed over a card which will have a medical history of the patient, personal information of the patient will be registered, so that in his/her next visit the patient will just have to mention his name and will get the access in the hospital and can go to the particular department for the treatment.

“There are three things included in this system. One is hospital information management system, second is student life-cycle management system and picture archiving and communication system. The patient will receive a card and through that card, doctors will be able to get the medical history of the patient. This is concept is truly time-saving,” informed the civic official of TMC.

The Kalwa hospital is also a college for medical students and through the student life-cycle management system, they will be tracked. Through picture archiving, the medical reports can easily be transferred and will be easier to handle various cases. The hospital information management system will be implemented at a cost of Rs 14 crore which will ensure the administration also update about the health patterns of residents on a real-time basis and detect any possible epidemic outbreak in the city.

As per the plans, every patient visiting any of the 13 departments at the hospital will be equipped with a smart card that will summarise his medical history with a record of all ailments and prescriptions. Every time, the patient visits any of the OPDs or consultancy, he will have to present the card that will be scanned on a special reader that will reflect all details of medicines taken earlier, any existing allergies, etc. The ttending doctor will read his history and accordingly suggest medicines and therapy to the patient.

Features of Hospital Information Management System

Provide unique patient identity card

All medical record of the patient fed in his file, so that he/she need not have to prepare case papers

Single source of access to patient history for doctors, patients

Patients can access these records through pen drives, emails

Laboratory information can be entered on the system

Radiology info synched with patient’s medical record

Nursing/ Ward information

Pharmacy management

Blood Bank management