More counters, same chaos: KMC-RI patients bear the brunt

Hubballi: Despite a significant increase in the number of registration counters at the Karnataka Medical College and Research Institute (KMC-RI), patients and their attendants continue to face long waiting hours at the hospital, leading to daily inconvenience and rising public resentment.

Long queues at the registration counters have become a routine sight, with hundreds of patients lining up from early morning and many waiting for several hours, often under intense heat. Attenders accompanying patients said the situation has remained unchanged for months despite repeated assurances from the hospital administration. They blamed poor planning, inefficient management and lack of coordination for the chaos prevailing at the registration section.

Hospital sources said KMC-RI has 36 data operators assigned to registration-related work. Of these, 15 operators are deployed for OPD registrations, nine for IPD registrations, while the remaining staff attend to other departments. All operators work in six-hour shifts. On paper, the manpower appears sufficient to handle the patient load. However, the registration process continues to be slow, erratic and inefficient, leaving patients frustrated.

Several operators cited frequent server-related issues as a major reason for the persistent delays. The registration system at KMC-RI operates on a web-based application linked to a centralised server located in Tripura. According to staff, technical glitches, lag and interruptions often slow down the process, making it difficult to complete entries quickly. Sudden leave taken by some operators, particularly during peak hours, further disrupts workflow and places additional pressure on limited staff at the counters.

Highlighting the scale of the problem, social activist Samad pointed out that the hospital manages a heavy daily patient load. On average, KMC-RI records more than 2,000 OPD registrations every day. In addition, around 250 to 300 IPD registrations are handled daily, apart from registrations for diagnostic tests, scans and medical examinations. Such a high volume of patients demands a robust and uninterrupted registration mechanism, which, he said, the present system has failed to provide.

As a result, patients and their family members are forced to stand in long queues for extended periods, causing discomfort, fatigue and anxiety. The situation is particularly challenging for senior citizens, women, and attendants of critically ill patients, many of whom struggle to cope with the prolonged waiting hours. The continued delays have raised serious questions about hospital administration and the urgent need for corrective measures.

Medical superintendent Dr Ishwar Hasabi said the registration system functions smoothly except when technical issues arise due to the centralised server and when outsourced labour agencies fail to deploy data operators on time. He said these factors significantly slow down registration. The server-related issues have already been brought to the notice of higher authorities, and labour agencies have been instructed to ensure timely deployment of operators.

Dr Hasabi added that registration infrastructure has been strengthened considerably. While the hospital earlier had only four registration counters, the number has now been increased to 15 for OPD and from six to nine for IPD. However, patients say the benefits of this expansion are yet to be felt on the ground.