In an important development, AIIM will be overhauled to improve emergency medical services and safety measures, as patient numbers and the safety concerns involved have increased significantly. This step is to increase the capacity of emergency wards by half by 2024. The emergency ward currently supports emergency services with 200 functional beds. The number of emergency cases has ballooned to 700 to 800 every day, leading to a staff shortage. An additional 200 beds will be added for a total of 400 beds.
It is hoped the addition will bring some respite to emergency wards and allow hospitals to better manage the growing crisis. This is part of AIIMS’ broader strategy to significantly improve healthcare infrastructure for more timely treatment of patients in need of urgent care.
AIIMS Director Dr M. Srinivas said that keeping in mind the throughput of patients to the institute, the intention is to expand as required from the hospital point of view. “Adding 200 beds to the emergency and critical care block is an important step to ensure we continue to provide high quality care without overcrowding,” he said in a statement.
AI security measures
In addition to healthcare, AIIMS is also focusing on progressive safety measures in the wake of the gruesome rape-murder incident at a Kolkata hospital. AIIMS has piloted the installation of artificial intelligence-powered CCTV cameras at critical access points with emergency blocks and mother-child blocks across the campus. These cameras are enhanced with facial recognition technology to develop unauthorized detection and security breaches.
According to Dr Srinivas, the AI-powered surveillance system was part of the measures taken to protect patients and staff at AIIMS. This will ensure the safety of hospital grounds by installing cameras at key entrances and exits.
Future plans
AIIMS also plans to set up an infectious disease center and expand its teleconsultation services, which have been active during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, a new referral policy is being built by AIIMS to streamline patient referrals across AIIMS centers in India.
Through these strategies, AIIMS has built a solid foundation for high-quality service delivery that guarantees maximum safety to its customers using the bulldozer method.
