AIIMS Bilaspur Launches ‘Aapat Setu’ Digital Platform to Streamline Emergency Referrals
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The platform was launched virtually by AIIMS Bilaspur Chairman Narendra Kumar Arora under the guidance of Union Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda. The launch coincided with the unveiling of AIIMS Bilaspur’s new bilingual official website in Hindi and English.
AIIMS Bilaspur has launched ‘Aapat Setu,’ a digital emergency referral platform that enables hospitals to electronically transfer patient information before referral, allowing receiving hospitals to prepare for treatment in advance. The institute has also recommended the platform to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for implementation across all AIIMS institutions.
The platform was launched virtually by AIIMS Bilaspur Chairman Narendra Kumar Arora under the guidance of Union Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda. The launch coincided with the unveiling of AIIMS Bilaspur’s new bilingual official website in Hindi and English.
Developed by 14-year-old Darsh Verma, a student of DAV School, Bilaspur, ‘Aapat Setu’ enables referring hospitals to upload a patient’s clinical history, investigation reports, treatment details, and current medical status in real time. The receiving hospital's specialists receive instant SMS alerts, allowing them to prepare operating theaters, diagnostic facilities, medical equipment, and specialist teams before the patient arrives.
According to Darsh Verma, the platform is intended to ensure doctors receive complete medical information during patient transit, reducing delays in emergency treatment. He said the current version can connect 100 to 200 hospitals, with plans to scale the network to thousands of healthcare facilities. Future updates will support the transfer of patient photographs and additional clinical information.
Dr. Dinesh Verma, Senior Physician and Medical Superintendent at AIIMS Bilaspur, said the platform is designed to reduce critical time lost during emergency referrals by enabling hospitals to prepare necessary specialists, investigations, and infrastructure in advance. He added that AIIMS Bilaspur has proposed expanding the platform across the AIIMS network.
The initiative was developed in response to recurring natural disasters in the region over the past three years, which have reportedly resulted in more than 1,000 deaths and property losses exceeding ₹35,000 crore. The platform is expected to support emergency coordination during accidents and disaster situations.
Alongside the platform launch, AIIMS Bilaspur introduced a bilingual website offering information on departments, specialist doctors, academic programs, recruitment, tenders, citizen services, and institutional updates.
AIIMS Bilaspur currently serves more than 1,500 patients daily with a commissioned capacity of 750 beds and plans to expand to nearly 960 beds. The institute caters to patients from Himachal Pradesh as well as neighboring states, including Punjab, Haryana, and Jammu & Kashmir. Hospitals can register on the platform using institutional credentials to access its digital referral network and real-time dashboard showing specialist availability and vacant beds.
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