OP HOURS

GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS - Increasing of working hours of OP. in Government Teaching Hospitals and non-teaching Hospitals in District, Taluk and non-Taluk Hospitals including Government Dispensaries - Orders -Issued.

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HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT

G.O. Ms. No.463. Dated 12th September, 1996

ORDER:

The State Government are very keen on improving the Health care of the people coming to the Government hospitals and dispensaries. The Government have already taken a number of measures to ensure better Health care facilities in the State. One of the major problems in the General Out patient (OP.) departments in the hospitals is over crowding leading to inadequate attention to patients.

2. The present OP. hours are for a short duration only. The limited number of hours for outpatients results in over crowding in the hospitals. Consequently, the patients visiting the Hospitals for Health care as well as the Medical Officers engaged in attending to out patients find it extremely difficult to carry out detailed diagnosis on patients. The Government have also been receiving complaints from the Public about over crowding in OP. departments in all hospitals. The Government have been considering the possibility of increasing the OP. hours in hospitals to reduce the over crowding and to improve patient care in hospitals in consultation with Director of Medical Education and Director of Medical and Rural Health Services.

3. The Government, after due consultation with the Director of Medical Education and Director of Medical and Rural Health Services have decided to increase the morning OP hours upto 12.00 Noon in the teaching hospitals and other district, taluk and non-taluk hospitals including Government Dispensaries.

The Government hope that the increase in morning O.P. hours will achieve the twin-objectives viz. (i) to enable the people of all walks of life to avail the Medical facilities according to their convenience within the increased O.P. hours, avoiding the rush in the hospitals; and (ii)to allow the Medical Officers engaged in O.P. hours to devote more time on patient examination and diagnosis.

4. The Government, accordingly, direct that the morning O.P. hoursj in all teaching hospitals be from 7.00 A.M. to 12.00 noon and in all other district, taluk and non-taluk hospitals and Government Dispensaries be from) 7.30 A.M. to 12.00 noon. The Government further direct that so far aj Primary Health Centres are concerned, there is no change in the timing of the existing O.P. hours- There will be no change in Speciality O.P. hours and| evening O.P. hours.

5. The change in O.P. timing hours will come into force with immediate effect. The Director of Medical and Rural Health Services and the Director of Medical Education are requested to issue suitable instructions to all concerned for strict compliance of the orders of the Government in Para 4 above.

(By Order of the Governor)

R.POORNALINGAM,

Secretary to Government.