No More Waiting: Electronic Appointment System Introduced in Polyclinics

Citizens' connection with the polyclinic begins with a visit to the district therapist, pediatrician, or family doctor. The long waits and time wasted during these visits will soon be a thing of the past. An electronic appointment system has been introduced in polyclinics in Yerevan. The City Hall of Yerevan informs that this program is being implemented in collaboration with the "Armed" National e-Health Operator.

“For years, there has been an issue with queues in the polyclinics, leading to justified complaints from citizens. The electronic appointment system is another step towards making the services provided by polyclinics more accessible and affordable for our citizens,” said Deputy Mayor Sergey Harutyunyan.

The appointment system is already operational in 13 polyclinics in Yerevan. The program allows citizens to schedule appointments with their district therapist at a convenient day and time through a simple phone call, without losing extra time and nerves. Appointments can be made on workdays from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Special phone numbers have been designated for the appointment system, which are displayed in all polyclinics. Appointments can also be made by visiting the polyclinic in person. The system has loaded the basic data of citizens. On the day of the visit, patients need to arrive a few minutes before their scheduled time at the administration department, where they will be provided with a visit slip and questionnaire.

Registrations are done in such a way that each citizen is allocated 15-20 minutes. Minor deviations in appointment times with doctors may occur, but only by a few minutes. The implementation of the appointment system is important not only for faster service but also for making the work of doctors and healthcare institutions more organized.

Work is also underway in other polyclinics. By the end of the year, the program will be available in all 24 polyclinics in the city. “Currently, the program only allows appointments with district therapists or pediatricians. The second phase will also include scheduling with narrow specialists,” said Kamsar Babinyan, head of the healthcare department of Yerevan City Hall.

From now on, making appointments in polyclinics is mandatory. You can wait without an appointment, but you may not be served. Of course, this does not apply to emergency cases needing urgent medical assistance. The Yerevan City Hall is currently developing new reform programs in the healthcare sector.

“Compared to 2018, we plan to triple the healthcare budget for 2020 and allocate funds for modern and up-to-date equipment, ensuring that our polyclinics are equipped with the necessary tools to provide high-quality medical services,” noted Sergey Harutyunyan.