Evening OPD at GMSH-16 witnesses a steady increase in footfall, 395 patients in six days

Dr Suman Singh, director, Health Services, said the facility is currently available in the departments of Medicine, Surgery, Orthopaedics, Paediatrics and Gynaecology. Among these, the Medicine department has recorded the highest footfall so far. According to officials, nearly 30 per cent of the total evening OPD patients have sought consultation in the Medicine department.

Singh said the increasing numbers suggest that the initiative is benefiting patients, particularly those who are unable to visit the hospital during regular morning hours. The increasing footfall, she says, indicates that patients are finding the evening OPD useful, and one of the key impacts is a reduction in non-critical cases in the Emergency.

Officials explained that in the absence of the evening OPD, many patients with minor ailments would visit the Emergency department, where they would be given primary treatment and asked to return the next day for OPD consultation. The new facility is helping such patients access specialist consultation directly in the evening, saving time and avoiding unnecessary crowding in the Emergency.

At present, the evening OPD is being run as a pilot project. As for diagnostic services such as ultrasound and certain blood tests, hospital authorities said these are being decided on a case-by-case basis. If a patient requires urgent investigation, tests are being conducted through the Emergency wing. In non-emergency cases, patients are advised to undergo investigations the following day.

Hospital data show that GMSH-16 already handles a significant patient load. The regular OPD functions from 8 am to 2 pm and sees approximately 3,500 patients daily. In addition, around 400 patients are treated in the Emergency department each day. During peak seasons such as dengue outbreaks and viral fever surges, the numbers can nearly double.

With 500 beds, GMSH-16 caters not only to city residents but also receives referral cases from surrounding areas. Officials believe the evening OPD could play a crucial role in distributing patient load more evenly throughout the day and reducing pressure on tertiary care centres in the city. The Health Department has indicated that if the positive trend continues, the facility may be expanded to additional departments in the hospital. There are also plans to introduce similar evening OPD services at civil hospitals across the city.

According to the department, the initiative is part of a broader effort to strengthen public healthcare services in UT Chandigarh. By providing specialist consultation at district-level hospitals during extended hours, authorities aim to improve accessibility for working individuals and others who find it difficult to seek treatment during the day.