Bhubaneswar, Dec. 12: Relatives of patients visiting Capital Hospital here will shortly be able to make payments through debit or credit cards.

Aimed at ensuring that patients do not face any problems while making payments especially after December 15 when the deadline for using old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes ends, the patient welfare committee of the hospital has decided to install two point-of-sale machines.

Authorities of Capital Hospital, the biggest government health care facility in Bhubaneswar, have decided to provide services on par with private hospitals.

"The point of sale machines will be immensely beneficial for patients as the old currency notes of Rs 1,000 cannot be used at the hospital. People who are facing the pinch of demonetisation can use their debit cards for making payments," said Narottam Swain, 57, businessman and resident of Unit-IV.

He added that although diagnostic tests such as X-ray, CT scan cost much less at the hospital, people have been seeking swipe machines because of the current cash crisis. Besides, the authorities have also decided to install solar heaters for providing hot water to indoor patients at the hospital.

At present, patients admitted in the hospital do not have access to hot water and have to make the arrangements on their own.

Hospital director B.B. Patnaik said the move would help patients in the winter. "The solar heaters will help conserve electricity and since sunlight is not an issue during winter months, patients will be able to avail hot water 24 hours," he added.

An LCD screen will be installed at the outdoor patient department and casualty wing of the hospital where information regarding services available at the hospital will be provided. The hospital's outdoor patient department and casualty wing remain crowded throughout the day.

Since patients visit the hospital from across the state, information on services offered at the hospital and the names of doctors will be disseminated to them through the screens.

The absence of certain machines at the casualty wing of the hospital has remained a concern for not only patients but also the doctors. The casualty wing witnesses heavy flow of emergency cases throughout the day.

It has been felt that installation of certain emergency equipment at the wing would prove helpful. Hospital sources said machines such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) would be installed at the wing.

Besides, a mechanism to keep track of the number of patients visiting the hospital on a daily basis, too, would be installed at the hospital, said the director.