In an effort to enhance healthcare services, Gayatri Rathore, Principal Secretary of the Department of Medical and Health, launched an innovative initiative by making surprise video calls to various medical institutions across Rajasthan. Rathore began this initiative by making a video call to Ayushman Arogya Mandir Mungra in Jasol, Balotra district. She then connected with healthcare facilities in Laxmangarh (Alwar district), Atru (Baran district), Sardar Shahar (Churu district), Nagar (Deeg district), and Jaitaran (Beawar district).
This initiative, part of the Medical and Health Department’s ongoing efforts to improve healthcare services, is aimed to directly assess the conditions and facilities at various institutions. Rathore interacted with doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers, gathering information about the services provided and offering necessary guidelines. As the video calls coincided with Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition Day, the services provided on this occasion were also reviewed.
Rathore further engaged with beneficiaries to gather feedback on the quality and accessibility of health services. The initiative saw the participation of over 100 officials, including Neha Giri (Managing Director, AMSCL), Bharti Dixit (Mission Director, National Health Mission), Priyanka Goswami (CEO, Rajasthan State Health Assurance Agency), Dr Ravi Prakash Mathur (Director Public Health), and others. In just two hours, more than 1,000 video calls were made, directly reaching over 1,000 medical institutions across the state.
During recent video calls, medical officials gathered valuable information regarding the activities related to Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition Day. They interacted with ANMs, ASHA workers, pregnant women, and healthcare staff to assess the status of health services. The officials provided essential guidelines to improve accessibility and efficiency in healthcare delivery, while also stressing the importance of maintaining cleanliness in medical institutions.
This innovative use of technology is expected to improve health services through continuous communication. The video call initiative will continue, strengthening the monitoring system within hospitals. Senior officials will now be able to remotely evaluate any medical institution’s services at any time, regardless of location. This will enhance the effective implementation of health programs at the grassroots level. The initiative also ensures consistent communication between senior department officials and field-level healthcare providers, allowing immediate feedback from the public. This real-time connection helps in identifying deficiencies in services and resolving issues quickly at the appropriate level. Through this ongoing feedback loop, the department aims to further enhance healthcare services, making them more responsive and effective for the community.