In a significant leap towards digitizing healthcare services, the National Health Authority (NHA) has surpassed a remarkable milestone with the generation of over 3 crore tokens for Out-Patient Department (OPD) registrations through its ABHA-based Scan and Share service. Launched in October 2022 under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), this innovative service has transformed the patient registration process, particularly benefiting vulnerable groups such as the elderly, pregnant women, and those with mobility challenges by eliminating long queues for appointments.

The Scan and Share service allows patients to register for OPD appointments by simply scanning a QR code displayed at the registration counter, instantly sharing their ABHA profile for registration. This paperless process is now operational across 5435 healthcare facilities in 546 districts spanning 35 states and union territories in India. With an average of 1.3 lakh individuals using this service daily, its popularity and efficiency are evident.

“The Scan and Share service is an innovative facility under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission aimed at transforming healthcare accessibility and efficiency. This digital service eliminates the need for manual paperwork and significantly reduces waiting time, making hospital visits more streamlined and efficient,” said the CEO of NHA. “By facilitating quick and secure information exchange, Scan and Share benefits approximately 1,30,000 patients daily, with a particular focus on assisting vulnerable groups and those with urgent healthcare needs. This technological advancement underscores ABDM's commitment to leveraging digital solutions to enhance healthcare delivery for all citizens.”

Uttar Pradesh leads the adoption of this service, generating 92.7 lakh tokens, followed by Andhra Pradesh with 53.7 lakh tokens, Karnataka with 39.9 lakh tokens, and Jammu & Kashmir with 37.1 lakh tokens. Government hospitals like AIIMS in New Delhi, which has generated 14.9 lakh tokens, and hospitals in Bhopal, Prayagraj, and Raipur, with 6.7 lakh, 5.1 lakh, and 4.9 lakh tokens respectively, have also shown outstanding performance.

Approximately 75% of the token generations are from first-time users, while 25% are from subsequent visits, highlighting the service's widespread adoption and usefulness.

To further drive adoption, NHA offers financial incentives to hospitals and Digital Solution Companies (DSCs) under the ABDM's Digital Health Incentive Scheme (DHIS).

Looking ahead, NHA plans to extend the Scan and Share service to pharmacy counters and laboratory settings in public hospitals. Upcoming services such as 'Scan and Send' and 'Scan and Pay' are also in the pipeline. The 'Scan and Pay' service will allow patients to make payments for tests or medicines directly through their app, bypassing the need for in-person payments at healthcare facilities. Similarly, the 'Scan and Send' service will enable patients to conveniently send their health records, including prescriptions and lab reports, by scanning a QR code at a facility.

With these advancements, the NHA continues to leverage technology to enhance patient access to healthcare services, streamlining processes, and improving overall service efficiency in India's public health sector.