The Koforidua Regional Hospital has put in place measures to reduce the time spent patients spend at its Out-Patient Department (OPD). Under the programme, each department of the hospital is to ensure that there is a medical officer at the OPD by 0900 each day while specialists and other medical officers conduct ward rounds before reporting at the OPD. Dr Frimpong Boateng, the Head of the OPD Department, said this at the first quarter performance review meeting of the hospital in Koforidua on Thursday. He said the hospital would build a surgical and trauma centre with a theatre, nurses and doctors changing rooms and an ambulance bay near the OPD to help reduce the time for transfer of patients who need emergency care from the OPD to the surgical theatre. Dr Boateng said management would sanction any hospital staff identified to be engaged in the collection of illegal fees from patients to serve as a deterrent to others. The Head of the Surgical Department, Dr Foster Amponsah Menu, revealed the department had been able to reduce the average numbers of days patients spend at the surgical ward from 13 days in 2008 to six days presently. He announced that the department now offers urological services. Source: GNA