Punjab government announced a few months ago that hospitals throughout Punjab will get biometric systems installed to improve work efficiency in hospitals. The installation process for the biometric systems is now underway.
Biometric systems will be installed at public hospitals ensuring that the doctors, nurses and the rest of the hospital staff are present and remain on duty during their preset working hours. The system will allow a real-time attendance record to be available using a centralized dashboard. It will improve healthcare in Punjab by eliminating the ghost employee problem. The capacity and productivity will also be improved in medical institutions of the province.
Sources from within the Punjab Health Department have mentioned that Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) was involved in the development and installation of this system. PITB has been reported to have developed the system to make the health delivery network much more efficient. In the past, punctuality of doctors and other staff has been a cause of major concern at public hospitals. The new system aims to resolve that problem once and for all.
The new system has been launched in 38 District Headquarters (DHQs) and 100 Tehsil Headquarters (THQs) so far. The system will be implemented throughout Punjab in the coming months.
PITB has conducted detailed training sessions for all people who will be directly involved in DHQ and THQ hospital management. The sessions detailed different features of the new system including enrolment, roster management, duty selection and leave management using the new digital platform.
PITB also devised and informed on the SOPs for the new system. Management and control of the attendance system will be maintained by management staff of each hospital. In addition, EDOs and other health department officials will also get access to monitor the punctuality of the department.
A Punjab Health Department official said that the new biometric attendance system at all public sector hospitals is one of the elementary components in the health sector reforms future agenda. Punjab government has plans to revamp the health sector to improve patient care and this is one of the many steps on the way to achieve that.
Source: PakObserver