Panaji: Goa Medical College (GMC) has launched online outpatient department (OPD) appointments for select departments from Wednesday, offering relief to patients who previously spent hours waiting in queues to consult doctors. The new e-OPD system will initially cover orthopaedics, general surgery, ENT, medicine, and dermatology, with 100 slots available per department each day. GMC officials said the facility, which will be gradually extended to other departments, is expected to reduce crowding in the morning. “While it may not eliminate congestion entirely, it will help reduce chaos,” a GMC spokesperson said.Also Read:Scan and share QR code for OPD Registrations: AIIMS Delhi to promote use of Ayushman Bharat Health IDsAccording to TOI, “Patients who booked a slot online will be allowed to see a consultant without waiting in a queue,” the official said. However, several walk-in patients, unaware of the new system, expressed disappointment. Some said they would have waited a day or two had they known about the online facility.A patient from Mapusa, accompanying a relative with a fracture, welcomed the facility and said he would use online booking for future visits. Similarly, another patient who travelled from Betul in Salcete with a severely swollen leg said advance booking would be particularly helpful for those coming from distant areas. “I would now book an appointment in advance instead of arriving early to collect a token,” he said.
Some patients, however, still prefer traditional registration. A Chimbel resident visiting the hospital for the first time chose walk-in registration, while a regular visitor from Bambolim said she finds it more convenient for general medicine OPD consultations.
On average, each OPD handles around 200 patients daily. “If we combine walk-in registrations with online slots, we can manage close to 300 patients. Once awareness increases, we will establish a system to handle higher appointment volumes,” the GMC official said, reports TOI.Also Read:AP Medical Council Introduces AI-Enabled WhatsApp Service for DoctorsSpeaking to Prudent Media, Health Minister Rane said the initiative is a decisive step towards making healthcare access smoother, faster, and more dignified for citizens.
