J&K hospitals to start QR code-based OPD registrations

Srinagar, June 03: All public healthcare institutions will start QR code-based OPD registration services in J&K under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) which aims to develop the backbone necessary to support integrated digital health infrastructure.
The J&K Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission has ordered implementation of scan and pull OPD registration procurement of hand-held laser corded barcode/QR scanner gun reader.
Additional Mission Director, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, Dr Shafqat Khan said in the second phase, all district, sub-district hospitals and PHCs will start QR code-based OPD registration services.
The ABDM has written to all the Chief Medical Officers and Medical Superintendents of Associated Hospitals/District Hospitals to implement it at health facilities.
“In order to effectively implement the Scan & Share facility in the public healthcare institutions of J&K it has been decided to also start a Scan and Pull facility for generation of OPD tokens and ensure queue less OPD registration,” the order said.
The CMOs and Medical Superintendents have been requested to procure handheld laser barcode/QR scanner gun readers through the GeM platform. The ABDM has also issued guidelines/best practices for scan and that may be followed in the hospitals.
“Ensure that the OPD area in the hospital should have uninterrupted telecom signals. Free internet connectivity through WiFi access points should be available to be given to patients and patients caretakers,” the order said.
As per the guidelines, awareness amongst hospital staff for Scan and Share functionality and hands on training to the ground staff should be conducted for its effectiveness.
“Training must also be given to data entry operators on Scan and Share, scan and pull and HMIS Software and uniform attractive IEC material containing QR code for Scan & Share should be prepared,” it said.
For generation of ABHA cards, the hospitals have been directed that bio authentication machines (finger scan) be deployed at OPD registration counters and QR Code Scanner to be deployed on all the OPD machines for generation of OP slips.
“Support staff (Help desk/attendants/guards) shall help patients in generating tokens of ABHA of patient’s attendants in the waiting area,” the order said.
Dr Shafqat Khan said it would be a game changer for the health sector in J&K and help patients. “It will felicitate queue less registrations. A patient having ABHA health IB, has to scan the QR code in the hospital OPD and then directly take the OPD card,” he said.
The QR code-based registration aims to reduce long queues and waiting time of patients outside the OPDs and is being set up by the National Health Authority (NHA) as part of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.
The QR code-based OPD registration service allows patients to scan the hospital’s unique QR code with their mobile phone and share their profile details with the hospital.
Once the profile is shared, the hospital provides a token number (queue number). The token generated is sent as a notification to the patient’s selected app and also displayed on the screens placed at the OPD registration counters for the ease of patients.
According to their token numbers, the patients can go to the registration counter and directly collect their outpatient slips (OP slips) for consultation with a doctor as their details are already present at the registration counter.
Patients often had to stand in long queues for hours to complete their registration process before they could consult a doctor. However, this move is expected to bring relief to people and they no longer have to wait for long hours to get consulted.
Earlier in April, QR code-based OPD registration services were started in 11 leading hospitals in Jammu and Kashmir under the ABDM.