SALEM: Following its rollout at two government medical college hospitals in the state, the Health Management Information System (HMIS) 3.0 system has now been incorporated at the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital (GMKMCH) in Salem, streamlining outpatient services and digital record management.
The system was rolled out at the Salem Government Hospital on November 3 and has been in operation for 46 days. Senior hospital officials said, "The system has been successfully implemented and has significantly eased the outpatient experience. Patients no longer have to stand in long queues or carry bundles of laboratory reports and prescription records during repeat visits."
Under HMIS 3.0, every patient is assigned a unique identification number linked to their mobile phone number. A dedicated mobile application enables patients to access their medical records digitally.
Patients are also able to view their test results on their registered mobile numbers once the tests are completed, reducing the need for physical collection of reports and repeat hospital visits.
"Outpatient registration, prescription writing and laboratory reporting have been fully digitised. Each patient is issued a unique printed identification card with a barcode, enabling seamless tracking across departments,” officials explained, adding, “During follow-up visits, doctors can access patients' previous medical records online, which aids continuity of care."
Acknowledging that not all patients are technologically adept or own smartphones, officials said alternative measures have been put in place.
"Patients registering for the first time are issued a physical card containing a barcode linked to their unique ID. During subsequent visits, the barcode can be scanned to retrieve the patient's complete medical history. In cases where the card is misplaced, a new card can be issued using the patient's mobile number," an official said.
Through HMIS 3.0, doctors can access comprehensive medical records, including chief complaints, vitals, present illness, brief medical history, diagnosis, laboratory reports, X- ray reports and prescription details. The system also records the departments visited by the patient and the number of visits, "which enables better clinical decision-making," the official added.
A patient from the cardiology department said, "The new system has made hospital visits much easier. We no longer need to carry prescription slips or wait at laboratories for long periods to collect reports. All records are now centrally available to doctors."
Hospital dean Dr J Devi Meenal said, "The entire process — from patient registration to diagnosis and treatment documentation — has been completely digitised. Even if patients visit another hospital, doctors can access the required medical details using the unique identification number."
"We are now planning to expand HMIS 3.0 to inpatient wards as well, including diet charts, and the system has already been implemented in the general medicine inpatient wards," she added.
Officials noted, "Laboratory reporting has become significantly faster, with test results generated and accessed instantly by patients and doctors. In particular, most samples processed in the biochemistry laboratory are completed and reported on the same day."
"The system has been especially beneficial for patients visiting Salem government hospital from neighbouring districts such as Namakkal, Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri, as digital access to records has reduced delays and repeat procedures," they added.
The hospital caters to nearly 4,500 outpatients daily. Since the rollout of HMIS 3.0 until December 19, nearly 1.6 lakh patient cards have been issued, reflecting steady adoption of the digital system by both patients and hospital staff.
The story is reported by Sneha Sivashanmugam of The New Indian Express