PGI director’s I-Day address: Lab reports on doctor’s desk? Reality’s different, Mr Chawla

A press release sent by the public relations department of PGI on Dr Chawla’s I-Day address in the institute mentioned his claim on the lab reports being available with the doctors. He talked about the digital India campaign initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and elaborated on the PGI’s efforts to make information system of the institute more and more “patient-friendly”.

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It seems Chawla got wrong feedback about his institute’s doctors who are not yet making use of the computers available in their rooms. In fact, the reality is that computers are even lying wrapped in plastic sheets in some doctors’ rooms.

“For the last one year, these computers have been installed in almost every faculty member’s room, but I have never seen anybody using them,” a staff member told Chandigarh Newsline.

The scene is almost similar in every OPD, be it medicine, endocrinology, neurology or urology.

A doctor from Internal Medicine Department said, “I am not aware of any such facility where we can access the lab reports of patients on our computers. If there is any such initiative, it will be beneficial both for us and for the patients.”

Another faculty member was also unaware of any such facility. He said, “If doctors are provided with computers then administration should also provide us a helper who can type the CR number and operate the system. Because we are too busy in examining patients and cannot waste time in operating computers.”
When contacted, director Chawla said, “There is some issue with doctors. The OPDs are overcrowded and doctors are overburdened. We are thinking of ways to motivate resident doctors so that they can start using the new system. At present, faculty members are using the new technology. Meanwhile, we are evolving ways so that everyone starts using the technology.”

A PGI official associated with the digitisation programme said, “The phase II is yet to start, under which the lab reports will be made available on the doctor’s desk. We have to educate the doctors about the new programme and have to issue them passwords.” The official claimed that “few doctors have started using the system, but it is yet to be launched”.

Under the phase II of the project, lab reports of parasitology, endocrinology, biochemistry (these are available on web portal as well), hematology, virology and immuno-pathology will be available on the doctor’s desk. “By typing a CR number of his/her patient, a doctor can access all reports at one click. The work will become easier for doctors, and patients will be saved from the hassle of standing in long queues to get their reports,” he said.