Bhubaneswar, August 22: Patients at Capital Hospital will soon get relief from standing in long queues for hours to give blood samples, with the hospital authorities constructing a dedicated blood collection unit at the pathology department.

The new facility will have seating arrangements for more than 250 patients, along with fans and air-conditioning. A token system will also be introduced to streamline the process. Patients will be called according to their token numbers and can then proceed to the blood collection room.

Additional counters will also be opened to ensure faster collection of samples and reduce waiting time.

At present, around 3,000 patients undergo diagnostic tests every day, putting significant pressure on the hospital's six pathology counters. Nearly 500 patients depend on each counter, often forcing them to wait in queues for hours, irrespective of the weather.

The move comes after hospital authorities took note of the difficulties faced by patients while accessing pathology services.

Capital Hospital and PGIMER currently have 18 biochemists and microbiologists and 29 laboratory technicians. While samples were earlier sent to private laboratories for several tests, most diagnostic tests are now being conducted at the hospital's own laboratory.

Only samples requiring highly specialised investigations, including tests for certain cancers and blood-related disorders, are being sent outside.

Capital Hospital and PGIMER attract patients from across Odisha for quality and advanced healthcare services. Nearly 5,000 patients visit the hospital every day, many of whom have to queue up for registration, OPD consultation and subsequently for diagnostic tests.

The new blood collection facility is expected to reduce the repeated queues and make the diagnostic process more convenient and efficient for patients.