With no information about doctors’ leave at PGI, patients a harassed lot

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 13

Patients are facing inconvenience as there is no information about doctors’ personal or official leaves at the PGI on reception or the website.

In cases, especially of operation, surgery or medicine, generally same doctors see a patient. However, patients coming from outstation find it difficult if a particular doctor, who has to perform surgery, is on leave as he has to go back to his native place again.

Though, the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI) has uploaded a duty schedule of doctors on the ‘OPD’ section of the website, it serves little purpose as there is no information about them going on leave.

Often doctors are on leave owing to some conference and workshop, but this update is not available on the OPD duty schedule at the website. Even reception asks one to check with the department concerned.

“One of my relatives was to be operated upon and given a date. However, when we reached the hospital, we were told that the particular doctor was not available and asked us to come next week for the operation,” said Randhir Singh, a native of Moga.

“Once, we had to see a doctor whom we were already consulting. However, we kept enquiring about his location on reception and at the OPD for one hour only to know later that he was out at some conference. The authorities must display information about unavailability of doctors to facilitate patients. Sometimes, doctors are not even on leave, but they are not on their seats. A committee should be formed, which makes rounds of the OPD to keep a check on doctors,” commented a functionary at the hospital.

When contacted, Manju Wadwalkar, official spokesperson of the PGI, said, “There is no protocol here that same doctor will look after the patient he is handling. There is a complete unit here and when doctors are out on leave, they give their charge to others.”