Bhubaneswar: The online OPD booking kiosks installed at the Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar to ease patient rush have remained non-functional for months, forcing patients to return to long queues for tickets and laboratory reports.

Digital Facility Turns Ineffective

The kiosks were introduced with the promise that patients would no longer need to stand in long lines at counters. Through online registration and QR code scanning, patients were expected to collect OPD tickets and lab reports directly from the kiosks. However, within a year of installation, all five kiosks have stopped working.

As a result, patients and their attendants are again seen waiting in long queues to obtain OPD tickets and collect test reports, defeating the very purpose of the digital system.

Rising Patient Load Led to Kiosk Installation

With a steady rise in patient numbers, the registration counters at Capital Hospital often witnessed heavy crowding, especially for lab report collection. Patients from outside districts faced difficulties in completing tests and consulting doctors on the same day due to the time lost in queues.

To address this, five kiosks were installed by the Odisha State Medical Corporation. Patients could scan a QR code after mobile registration to get OPD tickets, while lab reports could be printed by entering the CNR number.

Complaints Ignored, No Follow-Up Action

Despite repeated complaints about the non-functional kiosks, hospital authorities have only written to the agency responsible for installation. No visible steps were taken to restore the services, leaving patients frustrated and inconvenienced.

Assurance from Hospital Administration

Capital Hospital Director Rupabhanu Mishra said that repairs will be carried out soon. He assured that the kiosks will be made operational again so that patients can resume using the digital facilities.