Odisha government plans a digital platform for cancer patients to enable priority booking, teleconsultation, faster diagnosis, and treatment access across DHHs and tertiary hospitals
OdishaPlus Bureau
The state government is set to introduce a digital platform aimed at facilitating priority booking for consultations, diagnostics, and treatment for individuals suspected of having cancer, as well as those currently receiving cancer care. Consequently, patients will no longer be required to endure lengthy waits at major government hospitals.
Under the proposed framework, patients will have the ability to schedule appointments at their nearest district headquarters hospital (DHH). Upon completion of the booking process, they can attend the assigned tertiary care hospital at a pre-arranged time slot. This method will greatly minimize unnecessary travel and waiting periods, while also alleviating patients’ concerns regarding missed OPD consultations, diagnostic tests, or treatment appointments.
In the meantime, the National Informatics Centre (NIC), a governmental body, will be responsible for the development of the digital platform. Officials from the health and family welfare department have stated that if a physician at a DHH identifies symptoms indicative of cancer, the physician or hospital personnel will promptly organize a teleconsultation with an oncologist at a tertiary care facility.
Should additional intervention be necessary, the system will electronically arrange the patient’s appointment at the tertiary center for the subsequent course of action. Furthermore, the platform will provide teleconsultation services for cancer patients undergoing follow-up treatment. After making a booking, patients will receive confirmed dates and time slots for their consultations, diagnostics, or treatments.
Appointments will be categorized into three distinct types—emergency care, priority diagnosis, and general OPD—to guarantee timely and suitable care. Commenting on the initiative, Susanta Kumar Swain, Additional Director (Non-Communicable Disease) within the Health and Family Welfare Department, remarked that prominent tertiary care institutions will serve as hubs, while DHHs will function as spokes.
The hub hospitals consist of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack; MKCG Medical College and Hospital located in Berhampur; VIMSAR in Burla; Acharya Harihar PG Institute of Cancer (AHPGIC) in Cuttack; and AIIMS Bhubaneswar.
At present, numerous patients travel to leading hospitals without the assurance of obtaining a doctor’s appointment or a diagnostic slot. Nevertheless, Swain indicated that with the implementation of the digital solution, all services will be scheduled in advance, thereby guaranteeing a seamless and stress-free hospital experience for cancer patients.
In addition, the digital platform will provide real-time updates on bed availability, doctors on duty, and the status of diagnostic services across hospitals, facilitating improved planning and coordination of care.
Recently, Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling reaffirmed the government’s commitment to early cancer diagnosis. He emphasized the importance of raising public awareness regarding the early signs and symptoms of cancer, encouraging individuals to seek prompt medical attention at local hospitals or consult oncologists for early diagnosis and treatment.