PGI to expand services with new patient-centric depts

Chandigarh, September 18

In a bid to enhancing its medical services while catering to patient needs, the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, is gearing up to establish new departments exclusively dedicated to patient care.

Prof Vivek Lal, Director, PGIMER, said they had solicited proposals from various departments outlining their requirements for the creation of these new patient-centric units. The goal was to have these departments operational by the beginning of the next year, marking it as a top priority for the institution.

To be operational by early next year

We have solicited proposals from various departments outlining their requirements for creation of new patient-centric units. We will have these departments operational by the beginning of the next year. — Prof Vivek Lal, Director, PGIMER

Prof Lal elaborated that this initiative built upon the success of recent additions such as surgical gastroenterology and clinical hematology and oncology departments. These units were functioning effectively and had been instrumental in providing specialised care to patients.

The establishment of an independent department for surgical gastroenterology was green lit by the PGIMER in 2020. This move elevated the surgical gastroenterology division from the department of general surgery to an autonomous department. Such a transition was expected to bring the PGIMER on a par with other premier academic institutions in the country and stimulate both academic and patient care activities. In 2021, the PGIMER created the department of clinical hematology and medical oncology to address the needs of cancer patients. However, this expansion wasn’t without challenges, primarily the requirement for additional manpower to manage the anticipated influx of patients.