KATHMANDU, Jan 25: Patients at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj faced waits of five days to a week for video X-rays, sometimes worsening their conditions due to delayed treatment. Now, video X-rays are available the same day or the following day after the hospital added more than ten new ultrasound machines over the past year and a half, enabling faster and more efficient service.
Laxmi Acharya from Budhanilkantha, who visited the Teaching Hospital on Tuesday, got her turn for a video X-ray the day after her health checkup. While waiting in line, she shared, "I got my turn the day after the checkup."
Other patients at the hospital also mentioned receiving their turns quickly. They said they had completed their health checkups yesterday or the day before and received their video X-ray appointments today.
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The hospital’s new 15 specialized outpatient services, such as video X-rays, benefit patients, according to Dr Umesh Khanal, Acting Chief of Radiology. Prior to the introduction of video X-ray services, he explained, patients would often leave the hospital because of unacceptable wait times. “High costs from hotel stays while waiting led patients from outside the valley to opt for private facilities,” explained Dr. Khanal.
Previously, patients had to wait for long periods, and 70 percent of them were forced to get video X-rays outside the hospital. Currently, the hospital conducts 500 to 650 video X-rays daily. Dr Khanal said that two of the 15 video X-ray machines are out of order, but the hospital plans to repair and make them operational soon.
The hospital’s video X-ray services were significantly improved, thanks to Dr Ghanshyam Gurung, the former department head and current acting director. Dr Gurung explained that seeing delayed patient treatment was upsetting, prompting him to take charge upon becoming head of the department. The hospital administration played a positive role, making it possible, he said. With the addition of two, the hospital has 17 video X-ray machines.
Director Gurung announced that two separate video X-ray machines are planned for installation in the hospital wards to serve admitted patients. He pointed out that transporting ward patients to the OPD’s video X-ray unit could negatively affect the emotional state of both sets of patients. To resolve this, the hospital plans to install video X-ray machines in the wards for inpatients. He said that ward patients’ serious conditions might negatively impact the morale of OPD patients who see them.
He stated that the hospital is preparing to provide services directly in the wards to avoid the inconvenience of taking seriously ill patients outside and making them wait for their turn. The hospital treats an average of 2,500 to 3,500 patients daily.
