News & Events
Hospital Management System (HMS) or Hospital Information System (HIS) in Rural India
Rural hospitals sounds a good concept but actually their condition across India is critically bad. They are vulnerable as they form a very large part of our national healthcare delivery system in absence of infrastructure and shortage of trained manpower. As a result people from rural area are rushing to cities nearby as they don’t get any support locally.
Faced with unique circumstances, characteristics, and challenges of rural situation, which has resulted in different approaches to healthcare than those in urban hospitals. Conditions in Rural Hospitals in an Era of Health Reform outlines rural-specific challenges including:
- Patients are older, poorer, and more likely to have chronic diseases.
- Rural hospitals are smaller and have far lesser facilities.
- Patients expects higher care in outpatient.
- Rural hospital are not capable of offering home health services, have fewer or none skilled nursing; all of which have lower business margins, which is why private people are indifferent to invest in a such scenario
Management at Ayodhya Eye Hospital (AEH) in UP near Lucknow, under the aegis of MANI MANDIR SEVA NIYAS SAMITI (hospital trustee) created a unique example. In such conditions, AEH has taken up a bold steps and has gone a step further. They decided to manage hospital with the help of HIS/HMS. As a result, a country wide search was organized and finally they decided to go ahead with ACG Infotech Limited for their Off-the-shelf, Electra Hospital Information System (Electra HIS) ERP software. Despite of facing huge gaps in ideal ground for HIS implementation, ACGIL and AEH management did not deter and continued uninterruptedly. Despite of facing adverse situation including low IT literacy amongst the users and resistance from Staff members, finally, the HIS was implemented at three more locations, Basti (Hospital), Khalilabad (Hospital), Kumar Ganj (Vision-Centre) and Tanda (Vision-Centre).
- Fully funded by trustee and poor patients are largely treated for free.
- Below poverty line (BPL) patients are also connected through Adhaar Card (UIDAI) for reimbursement from public programs run by Central government of India.
- Launching mobile OPD, fully connected with Electra HIS to cover larger areas.
- Coming up with a new but fully equipped modern building with Electra HIS & latest facilities.
With ERP/HIS enabled, Ayodhya Eye Hospital now provides online services covering virtually all departments including emergency department services, inpatient care, outpatient care & long-term care. IT initiative at AEH has resulted in several benefits both for patients and management while increasing daily capacity of OPD intake. Impact of technology on healthcare services provided by ACGIL through Electra HIS can be summarized but not limited to:
- Proper diligence for a rural hospital
- Economic impact for better side
- Comparatively better quality treatment
- Availability of timely funding
Management at AEH must be congratulated for bold initiatives and providing IT governance in resonance to digitalization mandate raised our PM, Sh. Narendra Modi. Impressed with their determination, several National and International agencies have shown interest in funding for betterment.
