PESHAWAR: Lady Reading Hospital, the biggest medical teaching institution, has launched the first-ever integrated ‘emergency e-referral portal’ to streamline patient referrals across public sector hospitals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The portal, developed under the guidance of MTI-Policy Board, is led by Dr Nawaz Khattak, head of neurosurgery department, with technical leadership of IT director Bilal Bashir.

It is meant to facilitate real-time referral requests besides acceptance, tracking and ensuring timely and coordinated transfers of critically ill patients between tertiary care health centres, medical teaching institutions and district headquarters hospitals, according to Pulse, the quarterly newsletter of LRH launched recently.

The 28-page newsletter published with dean of LRH, Prof Sahibzada Mahmood Noor, as its patron-in-chief, Dr Tahira Nishtar as editor-in-chief, Dr Nawaz Khattak as editor and Dr Aamna Saleem Khan as associate editor. The newsletter is first of its kind to describe academic and clinical developments in the 1,800-bed hospital.

It says that through e-referral portal, doctors can digitally share details of patients, investigations and urgency status, allowing health facilities to prepare in advance.

Dr Nawaz Khattak described the initiative as a transformative step in emergency care. “This system ensures that the right patient reaches the right facility at the right time, addressing the issue of critical delay, affecting all emergency patients,” he said.

Bilal Bashir said that the portal reduced communication gaps and introduced transparency, accountability and efficiency in the referral process through real-time digital coordination. “Its sole purpose is to ensure better and timely management of patients,” he added.

He said that the initiative was being piloted across medical teaching institutions (MTIs) with plan for its province-wide expansion.

Prof Mahmood Noor, the senior-most dermatologist in public sector hospitals, said that the initiative marked a milestone in modernising emergency healthcare delivery in the province, particularly for trauma, stroke, neurosurgical, cardiac and other time-critical emergencies, ultimately benefiting all emergency patients across the province.

He said that it was also a privilege and honour for him to launch the maiden edition of the newsletter after assuming charge as dean at an institution where he began his career as a medical officer.

Prof Mahmood said that LRH continued to lead clinical care, medical education and institutional development in Pakistan. He said that it was their vision to transform the hospital into a centre of excellence, combining high-quality patient care with innovative, competency-based training and establishment of its own medical college.

“A cornerstone of this vision is structured postgraduate training. Our collaboration with Aga Khan University strengthens our programmes, ensuring that trainees develop clinical expertise, critical thinking, professionalism and lifelong learning skills,” he said.

He said that simulation-based education was now an integral component of their training programmes.

“In partnership with the skill laboratory of Postgraduate Medical Institute (PGMI), we are expanding simulation facilities to provide safe, hands-on learning that builds confidence and decision-making before entering real clinical settings. We are also proud to establish a clinical trial unit by signing a memorandum of understanding with Khyber Medical University.”

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2026