By Rauf Oyewole
The Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, has introduced a mobile application and electronic card to book appointments with doctors, a move to eliminate patient waiting hours and enhance service delivery.
According to the Hospital’s spokesman, Usman Abdullahi Koli, explained that innovation termed DHS_Mobile App and DHS SmartQueue System, to provide digital healthcare solutions designed to improve patient flow.
He explained that DHS SmartQueue System introduces a structured and transparent patient queuing process, enabling patients to obtain electronic queue tickets and receive services in an orderly manner. The system, according to him, is expected to reduce congestion in waiting areas, improve clinic operations, enhance patient satisfaction, and provide real-time data for monitoring service delivery and decision-making.
He added that the solutions were formally demonstrated and piloted at the Family Medicine Department (General Outpatient Unit – GOPU) following a technical presentation attended by members of staff and hospital management.
The Chief Medical Director, Professor Yusuf Bara Jibrin, described the initiative as a major milestone in the hospital’s digital transformation journey and a reflection of its commitment to providing efficient, patient-centred healthcare services.
Jibrin noted that the pilot phase at the GOPD would provide an opportunity to evaluate the system’s effectiveness before its gradual deployment to other departments and service points within the hospital.
“The DHS_Mobile App is available on the Google Play Store and will soon be on the Apple App Store. It allows patients to book appointments, access services, and make payments remotely, especially for amenity services. The app is currently in pilot phase, and access requires a DHS eCard. Patients are advised to visit the hospital for registration and further information,” he said.
The hospital further disclosed that telemedicine services are being integrated into the platform and will soon be activated, enabling patients to consult healthcare professionals remotely and improve access to specialist care.
“The introduction of the DHS_Mobile App and SmartQueue System aligns with ATBUTH’s vision of leveraging technology to improve healthcare accessibility, efficiency, accountability, and the overall patient experience.
“The DHS eCard is a modernised version of the traditional patient card issued during hospital registration. While all newly registered patients automatically receive the DHS eCard, patients who were registered before the implementation of the DHS EMR system on 22 November 2024 are required to renew and obtain the new eCard in order to fully benefit from this innovation and its associated digital services.
“Regarding hospital queues, the DHS Mobile App is designed to significantly reduce patient waiting time by enabling patients to book appointments and make payments electronically. This effectively eliminates the need to queue for registration and payment services. However, queues at clinics and other service points may still exist for some time.”
