What are the importance of OPD in hospital?

Out Patient Department (OPD) Services are one of the important aspect of Hospital Administration.

OPD services otherwise called as Ambulatory Care Services. It is a shop window for patients, like window-shopping in a super market where articles are laid down to chose and pick.

OPD is the mirror of the hospital, which reflects the functioning of the hospital being the first point of contact between the patient and the hospital staff.

Patients visit the OPD for various purposes, like consultation, day care treatment, investigation, referral, admission and post discharge follow up. Not only for treatment but also for preventing and promotive services like, health check up, Immunisation, Physio-therapy and so on.

The Ambulatory Care Services is gaining popularity and is in demand due to "Day Care Services" and patient need not stay at hospital.

This is helping both the patient and hospital as patient remains at house near the relatives and the hospital is benefited by less demand on hospital beds there by reducing cost on in patients. Therefore, providing the best OPD Services is one of the primary goal of Hospital Administrator.