AIIMS Delhi to start call centre facility for attendants of ICU patients from 2023

New Delhi: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences here will start a call centre facility for attendants of ICU patients to help them enquire about the condition of patients in the coming year. According to an office memorandum issued on Friday, all ICUs (intensive care units) and emergencies at the institute will have 24x7 faculty and the ICUs will have single entry and exit which shall be access controlled by facial recognition-based systems from next month.

It also said that at present, patient care devices like monitors, ventilators, and infusion pumps, among others, in AIIMS Emergency and a few ICUs are not connected to central charting solutions.

"Also, it is not possible for faculty of other departments to provide remote consultations after reviewing the patient vitals on a real-time basis.

"Patient attendants are noted to be entering ICUs outside visiting hours as there is no facility for a video consultation with them in the ICUs," the memorandum issued by AIIMS Director Dr M Srinivas said.

"In line with best practices and to enable 24x7 supervision of emergency and ICU patients by senior faculty, it has been decided that all ICUs and emergencies shall have a faculty physically present therein on a 24x7 basis in shifts w.e.f. December 1, 2022. Appropriate post-duty off shall be given to the faculty," it said.

"All ICUs shall have single entry and exit which shall be access controlled by facial recognition-based systems w.e.f. 1st January 2023.

"The eCasualty and elCU charting solution shall be implemented for all red and yellow area beds in AIIMS Emergency and for all ICU beds with effect from April 1, 2023," according to the office memorandum.

It further stated that the move shall enable central and remote monitoring of patient care device parameters and also bring in access to historic patient monitoring data which shall also help in auditing the quality of care being provided at AIIMS Emergency and ICUs.

"This solution shall also enable evidence-based remote video/tele consultation with other departments. Facility for eRounds shall be commissioned in all ICUs to enable live discussion of a patient's condition with his attendants and other members of the clinical team.

"A tele call centre facility shall be commissioned by Engineering Services Department by December 31, 2022, to enable all ICU patient attendants to enquire about their patient's condition from the respective ICU's communication team," the memorandum added.