Government General Hospital-Khammam adopts e-queue system to tackle rising patient load

Healthcare services at the Government General Hospital (GGH), Khammam, are set to become more organised and efficient with the introduction of an electronic queue management system, installed by the Hyderabad-based NGO Helping Hand Foundation (HHF). The initiative is part of HHF’s collaboration with the hospital to set up a help desk aimed at improving patient experience and hospital workflow.

Under the new system, patients collecting their OP registration slips can approach the help desk, where volunteers issue electronic tokens generated by the queue management machine. The token system has been installed across the Gynaecology, Ultrasound, Laboratory and Paediatric units. Large television screens outside consultation rooms display live token updates, enabling patients to track their turn without crowding the waiting areas.

“Previously, patients used to stand in anxiety and confusion without a proper queue system, causing overcrowding near consultation rooms. With the introduction of the token system, the entire process has become smoother, reducing congestion,” said M. Narender, Superintendent of GGH, Khammam.

GGH Khammam, which receives between 2,000 and 2,500 outpatients daily across its General and Maternity Hospitals, had been struggling to manage the high patient load efficiently. To address this, HHF has trained and deployed 10 community volunteers at the hospital. These volunteers assist with patient mobility, provide navigational support, facilitate ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) ID registrations and help manage the electronic token system.

According to data recorded by HHF in October this year, 840 patients were provided with wheelchair assistance, 105 received stretcher mobility assistance, 1,411 patients were helped at the pharmacy, 26,572 patients received navigational guidance, 3,374 were assisted with ABHA ID creation and 4,041 tokens were generated in the Maternal and Child Health OPD.

Mujtaba Hasan Askari of HHF said, “We are looking at establishing referral pathways between remote and vulnerable districts in Telangana and city-based government tertiary hospitals, particularly to support tribal populations.”