To alleviate patient suffering and ensure better healthcare services, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) is set to launch an online appointment system for its outpatient department starting March 1.
BSMMU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Md Shahinul Alam made the announcement on Tuesday during a preparatory meeting at the university’s Block-A auditorium.
Shahinul said the outpatient department is the largest hub for medical services, adding that ensuring improved patient services, facilitating convenience for incoming patients, and accelerating academic and research activities at the university necessitate the implementation of an online appointment system.
“The online appointment system will play a crucial role in integrating outpatient medical services with academic and research activities. It will also enable the storage of patient data, which can be utilized effectively,” he added.
The VC said if the outpatient and inpatient departments are fully automated, it would be possible to store all medical and diagnostic information. This would allow relevant doctors and specialists to access patient data as needed, providing valuable medical advice and necessary treatments, he added.
Additionally, the collected data would open new avenues for research, he hoped.
Shahinul also mentioned that measures will be taken to ensure that doctors allocate adequate time to patients using the online appointment system.
This initiative aims to bring a significant change in the existing mentality of resident doctors who tend to see patients hastily without proper examination, he said.
As a result, doctors will develop a mindset to give patients the necessary time, ultimately improving the quality of healthcare services and patient satisfaction, the doctor added.
Furthermore, he declared a complete ban on prescribing unregistered products for patients at the outpatient department.
