OPD cards through Khidmat Centres soon
Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, Mar 19: Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, has announced that patients will no longer be kept in emergency wards for more than 72 hours, while free consultation cards will soon be issued through J&K Bank’s Khidmat Centres across J&K.
Speaking to reporters, SKIMS Director Prof. M. Ashraf Ganie said an MoU with J&K Bank is in its final stages to operationalise the facility.
Under the agreement, consultation cards will be provided free of cost through the bank’s extensive Khidmat Centre network.
“J&K Bank has agreed in principle, and the MoU is nearing completion. This will ensure services reach people across J&K and bring significant relief to patients,” he said.
On emergency care, Ganie said strict measures have been put in place to ensure that no patient remains in the emergency ward beyond 72 hours.
Patients, he said, will be shifted to available beds in any ward, even if it belongs to a different department.
“If a bed is available in any ward, the patient will be shifted, even if it belongs to a different department. The bed can be used for the night and returned to the department in the morning,” he said, adding that the move has helped reduce congestion and improve management in emergency areas.
He said a triage system has also been introduced under which DM scholars assess patients before specialist consultation to streamline patient flow. “There is no longer the kind of rush and disorder that existed earlier,” he added.
Highlighting staffing challenges, Ganie said SKIMS is currently functioning with only 38 per cent of its required manpower despite witnessing a daily footfall of around 50,000 patients.
He said nearly 1,200 posts need to be filled to address the shortfall. “We have revived these posts to strengthen skilled manpower,” he said.
He added that self-service kiosks are being installed to facilitate patients and reduce waiting time, while a separate outpatient department (OPD) block is planned as a long-term measure to manage the increasing patient load.
On data management, the Director said several departments maintain records dating back nearly four decades, adding that SKIMS aims to evolve into a central hub for healthcare data generated across peripheral hospitals, district hospitals and medical colleges in J&K.
On the occasion, to strengthen advanced diagnostics and clinical care, Prof. Ganie also commissioned a series of high-end medical equipment and diagnostic facilities at the institute.
The newly introduced facilities are aimed at enhancing precision diagnostics, improving clinical decision-making and enabling timely treatment.
Among the key initiatives is the installation of high-resolution ultrasound (USG) machines in individual wards to provide bedside diagnostic services.
In another development, the Department of Pathology has operationalised an advanced Immunohistochemistry (IHC) panel comprising 174 markers to strengthen cancer diagnostics and support personalised treatment.
Further, automated mycobacterial detection systems have been installed in the Department of Microbiology to enable rapid identification of infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance patterns.
The newly commissioned facilities also include digital X-ray systems, modernisation of the emergency operation theatre, new bed-cum-trolleys, upgraded hospital furniture, an advanced public address system and improved document management systems.
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