Patna: Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) is set for a major reorganisation of its medical services, with several departments scheduled to shift to a new building by the end of September. The planned move includes surgery, plastic surgery, general surgery, clinical pathology, outpatient services and triage.
The new facility will have a 150-bed surgical indoor unit, an emergency department and four operation theatres, bringing several key services together in one building. Hospital authorities have started preparations for the phased shifting of departments and services.
The move is part of PMCH’s wider redevelopment and modernisation programme, under which the hospital is being expanded with new infrastructure and patient-care facilities. Recent reviews by health department officials have also focused on the transition of departments and the functioning of the new facilities.
Emergency Care To Get Triage System
A dedicated triage system will be introduced for patients arriving at the emergency department. Under the system, patients will be categorised into red, yellow and green zones according to the seriousness of their condition.
Patients in the red zone will receive priority treatment because of the need for immediate medical attention. Yellow-zone patients will require urgent care but will not face an immediate threat to life, while those with less serious conditions will be placed in the green zone.
The system is intended to help organise patient flow during emergencies and ensure that doctors and critical treatment are prioritised for the most serious cases.
150 Beds And Four Operation Theatres
The surgery department will have a 150-bed indoor facility in the new building. Patients requiring admission for surgical treatment will be managed in the same facility, while emergency services will also operate from the building.
Four separate operation theatres are planned to support surgical procedures. The arrangement is intended to bring admission, emergency care and surgery-related services closer together.
The plastic surgery department is also expected to shift to the new building, allowing patients requiring related procedures to access the services within the same setup.
24-Hour Clinical Pathology Service
PMCH is also preparing to start a 24-hour clinical pathology service in the new building.
The facility is expected to particularly benefit emergency and indoor patients by reducing the need to move samples to other parts of the hospital for testing. Sample collection, testing and report delivery are planned to be integrated with the services in the new building.
Round-the-clock diagnostic availability could be particularly useful in emergency cases where doctors need test reports to make treatment decisions.
Medicine Counters To Be Shifted
Changes are also being planned in the medicine distribution system to reduce movement and congestion for patients and attendants.
The OPD medicine counter is proposed to be shifted from the CUB area to an open space near the RSB. Patients will be able to collect medicines and leave without having to travel to upper floors.
For emergency and indoor patients, a 24-hour medicine counter is planned on the ground floor near the registration counter. This will reduce the need for attendants to visit another floor or building to collect medicines.
More Departments Moving To New Facilities
The shifting plan is part of PMCH’s broader effort to bring more specialist services into organised spaces. Recent reports said the hospital is also preparing to shift surgery, orthopaedics, plastic surgery, gastroenterology and neuromedicine OPDs to the new building.
The aim is to make multiple specialist services available within a more integrated campus arrangement and reduce unnecessary movement for patients coming from different parts of Bihar.
PMCH Redevelopment Underway
The hospital’s larger redevelopment project includes new buildings and expanded medical infrastructure. During a September inspection, health department officials reviewed the progress of construction, new OPD facilities, registration counters and medicine distribution centres and directed agencies to maintain quality and meet the scheduled timelines.
Earlier, health department officials had also reviewed the transition of departments to the new facility, along with requirements related to manpower, maintenance, sanitation, security and other support services.
Shift Planned By September End
PMCH superintendent Dr Rajiv Kumar Singh said preparations are underway to shift the surgery and plastic surgery departments by the end of September.
The new arrangement will include the 150-bed surgical indoor unit, emergency services, four operation theatres, triage and round-the-clock clinical pathology. The hospital administration is also working on patient facilities, including waiting areas and other amenities.
The planned changes are intended to organise key treatment services within the new infrastructure and make it easier for patients and attendants to access emergency care, surgery, diagnostics and medicines.
