AIIMS bans cell phone use by OPD registration counter staff

New Delhi: AIIMS has issued an order prohibiting the use of mobile phones by outsourced employees at outpatient department (OPD) registration counters during their duty hours from October 16, citing that such practices cause delay in service delivery and inconvenience to patients.

According to a series of orders issued by the new AIIMS Director Dr M Srinivas on Monday, the administration has also decided to deploy 50 more additional battery-powered buses, besides the existing fleet, via CSR contributions for transporting patients and attendants and other support staff within the institute.

Further, from October 10 onwards, patients attending OPD in Surgical Block will be registered in the Surgical Block itself. Presently, they are being registered in New RAK OPD, causing inconvenience to patients and their attendants. It is being done to streamline the flow of patients into new RAK OPD, an order said.

In an order issued on September 30, AIIMS has already waived off fee collection of Rs 10 for a new OPD card while introducing a 'slot wise' token number appointment system for patients without prior appointments.

According to the order issued by the AIIMS Director on Monday, outsourced employees at outpatient department (OPD) registration counters will have to deposit their cell phones in a safe box provided by respective area in-charges before starting their shift duty.

The order said it has been noticed that the outsourced staff working at the OPD registration counters are often using mobile phones while patients are waiting in queue, thereby causing delay in service delivery and inconvenience to patients.

"Accordingly, it has been decided that no outsourced staff working at OPD registration counters shall keep their mobile phone with them while on duty with effect from October 16. To facilitate this, respective area in-charges are required to provide a safe box for the outsourced staff to deposit their mobile phones before starting their shift duty," the order read.

Another order read that the number of battery-powered buses currently available for transporting patients/attendants and other support staff within AllMS is inadequate.

"Accordingly, it has been decided that 50 additional battery-powered buses should be added to the existing fleet via CSR contributions at the earliest.

"In the interim, Central Transport Facility shall engage such battery-powered buses/electric rickshaws on wet lease basis," the order said.

It further stated that it must be boldly mentioned on all internal transport vehicles that this is a 'Free Service' for transport within AIIMS Campus only. The security department shall provide regular feedback regarding the availability, frequency, and quality of the said service to Central Transport and shall also ensure that no patient is fleeced or inconvenienced by the battery-powered bus operators, the order stated.