The department’s outdoor clinic runs for over 14 hours daily, which has helped the department earn a monthly revenue of Rs 3.5 lakh, the highest by any government hospital in the state. “This is a new concept which we experimented with. Usually, all departments at medical colleges work from 9 am to 4 pm. But this particular department works from 7.30 am to 9.30 pm. The department has also been allowed to share part of its revenue with the doctors, Group C and D staff,” said state health minister Surya Kant Mishra.

Encouraged by the response, the state health department now wants to replicate this in other hospitals.

“We are also placing a Linear Accelerator Machine in the department, which will be the first of its kind in a government-run health facility here. The machine will benefit cancer patients,” Mishra added.

The move to extend the timing of the department was initiated a year ago. It was also decided to share 60 per cent revenue collected by the department to the doctors, of which Group C and D staff will get 15 per cent. The move helped in increasing the number of patients visiting the department. Within a year, the figure rose to 3,500, which was 1,500 more than the previous year.

“All we’ve tried is to bring in professionalism at our department and provide monetary incentive to the staff. This will make them work better and overtime. Now each group C/ D staff in my department gets Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 extra every month, apart from their salaries. The more patients come to our department the more money we generate and more money we get for ourselves,” said professor Subir Ganguly, head of the department.

The department has utilised the doctor’s share of revenue for erecting a new four-story building.