Currently, complaints about live queues, long waiting times, and uncertain admission hours in public hospitals are frequently voiced. In many countries, the admission process has already been fully digitized, and the online queue system has become the main model. In Azerbaijan, the phased implementation of an online queue system in public hospitals is also one of the discussed topics.
Mushfig Mammadli, a member of the Health Committee of the Milli Majlis, told Modern.az that several important points should be considered in this regard:
“Firstly, of course, establishing an online queue system is vital and important. But we need to pay attention to how much of a financial burden the establishment of an online queue system brings. That is, it is wrong to approach the establishment of an online queue system as merely installing one or two pieces of equipment to carry out the process.”
The MP noted that establishing an online queue system in hospitals requires significant financial and technical resources:
“Considerable funds are spent on establishing an online queue system in a hospital. In this regard, the process can be implemented in stages, and it should not be established merely for the sake of establishing an online queue system. The online queue system should be established in parallel with steps to regulate patient flows, considering the hospital's location, the region's potential, and how to manage patient flows in that direction.”
Mushfig Mammadli believes that digitalization alone will not be enough to completely eliminate the queue problem:
“The second issue is that we should not overlook a nuance here. No matter what queue system is established, no matter how much digitalization is implemented, it will be very difficult for us to prevent problems in queues without regulating patient flows.”
The MP stated that resolving some applications at the primary healthcare level could reduce congestion in hospitals:
“Because, first of all, secondary applications, which are not part of the hospital's functional activity. It is possible to prevent these applications at the primary healthcare level.”
According to him, strengthening polyclinics and family health centers can play an important role in this direction:
“That is, by ensuring a multidisciplinary approach in this direction through the polyclinic, family health center model, and by carrying out certain medical documentation forms on-site with many medical specialties, we can prevent the flow of patients from being directed to a single point.”
The MP added that with the restructuring of primary healthcare, both queues will decrease, and minimal medical and documentation procedures will be carried out on-site:
“Thus, by establishing an online queue system, strengthening primary healthcare, and organizing auxiliary services in the area, we can prevent this queue.”
