Srinagar, Dec 23 (KNO): In a recent development, the authorities at Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) are actively working to implement a paperless registration system in hospitals. The move, on the directions of Chief Secretary, aims to streamline the registration process, enhance efficiency, and reduce paperwork.
Officials informed the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, during a recent review meeting of health and medical services, directed concerned authorities to ensure the 100 percent implementation of paperless hospital registrations for patients in Jammu and Kashmir. He emphasised the need to adopt digital solutions to facilitate quicker patient registrations and improve overall healthcare services.
Bhupinder Kumar, Administrative Secretary of the Health and Medical Education Department (H&ME), said that paperless hospital registrations would ensure ease for patients and transparency in healthcare institutions across the Union Territory.
“Scan-and-share and digital payments are the way forward,” Kumar said, adding that digital initiatives contribute to enhancing the quality of healthcare.
Dr Shafqat Khan, Additional Managing Director of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, said the Chief Secretary has directed ABDM J&K to align the software to ease the burden on patients and work on this is in progress.
“ABDM will ensure the implementation of the Chief Secretary's instructions, which reflects a commitment to modernising administrative processes in the healthcare system and aligns with the broader trend towards digitisation in various sectors,” he said.
Dr Khan added, “With increased adoption, patient registrations can be made effortless, seamless and accurate. Our focus is to work closely with stakeholders to maximise the impact of ABDM-enabled digital health services.”
Stakeholders anticipate that the shift to paperless hospital registration will lead to a more seamless experience for both patients and healthcare providers.
Officials said that scan-and-share facilities have already started in all tertiary care hospitals, district hospitals, sub-district hospitals and community health centres. Over 26 lakh tokens have been generated, and digital payment facilities have been initiated at several hospitals, with others actively working on it, they said.
They said there are many benefits of paperless registrations, including efficiency, cost savings, data accuracy, faster access to information, improved patient experience, enhanced security and reduced administrative burdens.
“In the era of technological advancements, digital payments are revolutionising the healthcare landscape and offer numerous benefits within hospital settings,” officials said, adding that digital transactions eliminate the need for manual paperwork and reduce administrative burdens on both patients and hospital staff.
“This not only accelerates payment cycles but also minimises the likelihood of errors, ensuring accurate financial records,” they added—(KNO)