Gauteng, South Africa's most populated province with roughly 16 million citizens, launched an Integrated Patient Queue Management System this week to improve patient flow and service delivery in healthcare facilities.

Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, officially unveiled the integrated Patient Queue Management System (IPQM) on Wednesday at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic.

On X (previously Twitter), the department stated that the queue management system "will ensure that patients' numbers are effectively managed to reduce waiting time and, ultimately, improve the overall patient experience."

According to department officials, IPQMS helps healthcare institutions improve operational efficiency and service quality by improving queue management and shortening patient wait times.

This system, they added, allows patients to easily join a queue and check their progress online.

In addition to sending SMS reminders to patients about upcoming appointments, the patient queue management system generates daily or monthly real-time reports.

The system's main features include a smart biometric system, patient appointment booking functionality, a counter management console, digital ticket/queue numbers, and verification through the Department of Home Affairs.

The IPQMS initiative is part of the provincial department's goal to accelerate the adoption and effective use of eHealth systems across the province's 37 public hospitals.

In May, the Department of Health announced intentions to begin digitising and back scanning all patient records.

The health department has set a target of digitising at least 800 million patient records within the next 36 months, which it said indicated the degree of effect envisaged from this program.

According to the department, the eHealth system makes use of cloud technology to enhance efficiency and accuracy while also providing secure storage for patient records.

It added: “This centralised system will simplify access and management of medical information, fostering a more efficient and effective healthcare system.

At the time MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko said that the implementation of the eHealth digitisation solution will yield substantial benefits to the Gauteng public healthcare system.

She said: “Our hospitals stand to reduce operational costs associated with traditional paper-based record-keeping, eliminate time wasted on manual patient file searches and establish accurate records essential for legal and litigation purposes. The digitisation and back scanning of patient records will reinforce data security, ensuring seamless compliance with privacy and security regulations.”