Hospitals asked to start digital payments for transparency, ease of patients

Srinagar, Dec 15: In a move to enhance efficiency and transparency in healthcare transactions, the Jammu and Kashmir Government on Friday directed all the heads of hospitals to initiate digital payment methods for the ease of patients.
Officials said the move aligns with the broader national push towards a cashless economy, enhancing efficiency and transparency in healthcare transactions.
Administrative Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department (H&ME) Department, Bhupinder Kumar said the move will ensure ease of patients and transparency in healthcare institutions across the Union Territory.
Kumar said digital is the way forward adding that the introduction of digital initiatives is also helpful in improving the quality of healthcare.
In this regard, the J&K Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) has issued a directive and asked all Medical Superintendents, Associated Hospitals, GMCs/Dental Colleges, all Medical Superintendents, District Hospitals/Sub-District Hospitals, Health Department, J&K, all Block Medical Officers and Health Department, J&K to enable digital payments.
The directive came following observations that citizens in healthcare institutions are making cash payments for various medical procedures advised to them.
The “Digital India” platform envisages making all the payments digital through the citizen-centric services provided to them by the government.
Additional Mission Director, ABDM, Dr Shafqat Khan said it has been advised to create digital payment facilities for the patients in all the Hospitals/ Health Care Institutions by providing the QR-Code of the respective Banks for making UPI payments along with provisions for making Debit Card/ Credit Card Payment through PoS (Point of sale) machines.
The concerned hospital heads, officials and officers have been asked to seek the help of the ABDM in case of any query or clarification regarding the same.
“Encouraging the adoption of digital payments not only streamlines financial processes but also contributes to a secure, traceable financial ecosystem,” Khan said.
By transitioning to digital payments, he said hospitals in J&K can potentially improve accessibility and convenience for patients, while simultaneously advancing the region’s overall technological infrastructure and financial inclusivity.
This initiative reflects a progressive step towards modernizing healthcare administration in the region. Patients can now seamlessly pay for healthcare services through multiple digital modes and it is expected to transform healthcare facilities.