Goa Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant has suggested introducing an online OPD consultation facility at Goa Medical College (GMC), aimed at allowing patients to share their medical reports digitally and consult doctors remotely.
Goa Medical College (GMC) sees a steady flow of patients every day, with many returning to the hospital for follow-up consultations, review of medical reports and routine medical advice. For such cases, travelling to GMC for every consultation can mean additional waiting time and unnecessary hospital visits.
To address this challenge, Goa Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant has proposed introducing an online OPD consultation facility at Goa Medical College, allowing patients to share their medical reports digitally and consult doctors remotely.
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Addressing the OPD Rush
GMC handles a large number of patients every day, making outpatient departments a major point of pressure on the hospital’s healthcare system. For patients requiring only follow-up advice or a review of existing medical reports, travelling to the hospital and waiting for a consultation can add to the burden.
The proposed online OPD facility is intended to provide a solution by enabling eligible patients to communicate with doctors digitally. Patients would be able to submit or share their medical reports online and consult the concerned doctor without having to visit GMC for every follow-up.
This would also allow physical OPD services to give greater attention to patients who require in-person examination, diagnosis or treatment.
How the Facility Will Be Implemented
Under the proposed system, patients would be able to submit or share their medical reports online and consult the concerned doctors remotely, without having to visit GMC for every consultation. This could be particularly useful for follow-up consultations and cases where a physical examination is not required.
Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant has directed the Health Secretary and the Dean of Goa Medical College to take the necessary steps to initiate the facility.
The proposal builds on the digital OPD services already being introduced at GMC. Online appointment booking was launched in February 2026, initially covering five departments General Medicine, General Surgery, ENT, Orthopaedics and Dermatology.
The online appointment facility was subsequently expanded to additional departments, with online slots being introduced in phases while the existing offline appointment system continued simultaneously. The proposed online consultation facility would take this digital system a step further by enabling remote consultations for suitable patients.
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Towards a More Convenient Healthcare System
The proposed online consultation model could take GMC’s digital healthcare services a step further by reducing unnecessary hospital visits and waiting times for patients. It could also help doctors manage follow-up cases more efficiently and allow physical OPD services to focus on patients requiring in-person examination and treatment.
The initiative is also in line with Goa’s broader plans for the computerisation of GMC records and development of telemedicine and video-conferencing facilities connecting GMC with other hospitals.
With the Health Secretary and GMC Dean tasked with working on the proposal, the initiative could mark another step towards a more technology-driven and patient-friendly healthcare system in Goa.
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