Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday virtually inaugurated a major digital healthcare programme for the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC), setting the city as Gujarat's benchmark in centralised healthcare technology.
Gujarat's first centralised network of health is operational.
The Hospital Management and Information System (HMIS) is a milestone for Surat, making SMC the first municipal corporation to roll out such a sophisticated digital healthcare infrastructure in Gujarat. It's a cutting-edge system that integrates all the healthcare facilities coming under the civic body into a seamless network, promising to revolutionise patient care delivery.
Seamless digital integration in 80 health centres
SMC boldly ventured into the digital health era by connecting all 80 civic health centres and hospitals via this cutting-edge platform. The system does away with the conventional paper-based system, replacing it with holding vast patient treatment records in digital form to enhance accessibility and efficiency.
Streamlined Patient Registration and Records Management
Patients transformed from being passive recipients of healthcare services to more engaged individuals, the initiation of the new system. Whereby digital OPD and IPD registration have replaced tiresome manual procedures, the electronic health record ensures continuity of care across all facilities. The harmonized system does not allow for duplication of data and provides continuous care to patients in the healthcare system.
Advanced Medical Imaging and Queue Management
One of the most important features of the HMIS is the Picture Archival and Communication System (PACS), which stores and maintains radiological images from multiple sources, such as sonography and X-ray studies, digitally. Also, SMIMER Hospital now enjoys a Queue Management System (QMS) with digital health tokens for patients that cut down waiting times dramatically and enhance the delivery of services.
Empowering Patients Through Mobile Technology
The e-Health app is also an effective tool to empower patient with the ability to view their entire medical history and track treatment expenses with ease. This allows patients to actively participate in controlling their healthcare process by keeping meticulous records of medical interactions.
Unique Health ID System Bolsters Care Coordination.
Every patient is issued an e-Health Card and a Unique Health ID (UHID), making it a complete system for tracking all health services. The identification system allows healthcare professionals to have real-time access to patients' information, enabling quicker and more well-informed medical decisions.
Implementation success and patient adoption
The system has already been implemented successfully in all 80 urban health centres, six zonal hospitals, SMIMER, and Muscati Hospital, said SMC Health Officer Pradeep Umregar. The paperless system has already shown immense patient interaction with UHID cards being issued to 4,000 patients from the urban health centres, 2,400 from SMIMER, and 400 from Muscati Hospital.
Surat Municipal Corporation Health Officer Pradeep Umrigar said, “We have implemented HMIS in all 80 urban health centres, six hospitals (zone-wise), SMIMER and Maskati hospital. The HMIS is a paperless project. Patients should first get their UHID, after which they can avail all the facilities. Doctors, pharmacists, and laboratories can also access the details using the patient’s UHID number. As of now, UHID cards have been given to 4000 patients from urban health centres, 2400 from SMIMER and 400 from Maskati hospital.”
Medical professionals, such as doctors, druggists, and laboratory technicians, are now able to access complete patient information through the UHID system, providing an integrated environment that improves treatment and continuity of care.