Centre to Develop AIIMS Delhi as Model ABDM Facility

As per the plan, AIIMS Delhi’s Endocrinology and Mother & Child Health Block will be among the first to adopt e-prescriptions, phasing out manual prescriptions.

The central government plans to develop AIIMS Delhi as a model facility under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), focusing on digital health integration and e-prescription implementation. The initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance India's digital health ecosystem.

As per the plan, AIIMS Delhi’s Endocrinology and Mother & Child Health Block will be among the first to adopt e-prescriptions, phasing out manual prescriptions. Additionally, patient Unique Health Identification Numbers (UHID) will be linked to the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA ID), a 14-digit unique identifier enabling access to digital health records across healthcare facilities.

A meeting held in October 2023 reviewed the progress of ABDM implementation in AIIMS and other central government hospitals. The National Health Authority (NHA) has supported AIIMS Delhi in this transition.

AIIMS Delhi’s Role in the National Digital Health Ecosystem

The ABDM initiative aims to integrate AIIMS Delhi into a nationwide digital health network. All medical staff will be registered under the Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR), ensuring a standardized database of healthcare professionals. Additionally, the institute has been directed to achieve 100% integration of its laboratory services with the national digital health network.

“As a premier institution and an Institute of National Importance (INI), the continued commitment of AIIMS, New Delhi in adopting ABDM initiatives is vital for driving systematic transformation in healthcare delivery across India,” stated a letter from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to the AIIMS Director, dated January 27, 2024.

Currently, only 60% of healthcare professionals at AIIMS Delhi are registered under ABDM. To accelerate this, the ministry has suggested appointing two dedicated personnel for data collation and coordination, aiming for 100% registration. The ministry has also directed AIIMS to ensure that all OPD registrations link the UHID to ABHA IDs to facilitate seamless digital record-keeping.

The Center has emphasized that AIIMS must ensure digital health records are accessible to patients. The health ministry has instructed the institute to operationalize the required hardware for e-prescriptions in the identified departments.

“Ensure that the hardware is operational in the department identified for initiating e-prescriptions (Endocrinology and Mother & Child Health Block),” the ministry stated.

Additionally, AIIMS has been tasked with integrating its laboratory services with ABDM and improving patient management through QR code-based queue systems.

Dr Harsh Mahajan, Chair of the FICCI Health Services Committee, said, “If India is to achieve its target of universal health coverage, then ABDM is the vehicle on which this will be achieved. Apart from electronic health records and digitization within hospital inpatient settings, this will enable connectivity with those in rural areas and underserved parts of the country.”

AIIMS Delhi’s Medical Superintendent, Prof Dr Nirupam Madan, confirmed the institution’s commitment to ABDM, stating, “Right now, the Endocrinology department has created an enabling environment to start with e-prescriptions. We are implementing ABDM quite intensively. E-prescriptions and connecting them to the pharmacy are being done. Also, we are open to training other hospitals on how to start with ABDM.”

The Center views AIIMS Delhi as a benchmark institution for ABDM implementation, aiming to set an example for other healthcare facilities nationwide.