Panaji: The Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) has expanded its online outpatient department (OPD) booking system to include the remaining seven departments from Monday. GMC had launched online OPD bookings in Feb with a few departments, and additional departments were gradually added in the following months.According to a notification issued by the public health department on Friday, the existing offline queue system for OPD appointments will continue alongside the online booking facility.Patients can now book online OPD appointments for the departments of paediatric endocrinology, plastic surgery, neurosurgery, cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, geriatric medicine, paediatric surgery, and nephrology.“Fifty slots per day will be available for online booking for these departments, with appointments open for booking up to the next seven days through the GMC website,” stated the notification issued by Sitaram Sawal, undersecretary (health).The notification further stated that online booking for the following day will close at 5pm on the preceding day. Doctor-specific appointments will not be available through the online system.“It is reiterated that booking online slots shall ensure services at the concerned OPD in GMC based on the availability of doctors on the specified date. The facility for doctor-specific appointments is yet to be introduced under this model,” the notification stated.Some OPDs currently offer up to 100 online slots per day. While many patients have started using the online appointment facility, a majority still prefer visiting the hospital in person to book appointments, as the option to choose a consultant is not available online.A GMC official said the hospital administration is reviewing the functioning of the new system and considering changes to make it more patient-friendly. “There are practical difficulties in allowing doctor-specific appointments,” the official said.
