Bhubaneswar, August 13: The empaneled hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana–Gopabandhu Jana Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY-GJAY) have been directed to set up 24x7hour help desks to assist cardholders, provide free emergency treatment under PM-RAHAT, and ensure compliance to the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) guidelines.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the State Health Assurance Society (SHAS), Dr. Brundha D., reiterated these directors while reviewing the implementation of these schemes in private hospitals.

Dr. Brundha made it clear that empanelled hospitals must integrate the Hospital Management Information System (HMIS), ABHA-based medical records of patients, the hospital’s healthcare facility registry, and the health professional registry with the ABDM software by 31^st August of this year. Failure to do so will result in the withholding of incentives payable to the concerned hospitals under the Ayushman scheme. Continued non-compliance may also lead to the de-empanelment of the hospitals in the future.

As per the AB-PMJAY guidelines, every empanelled hospital must set up AB-PMJAY Help Desk at a prominent location near main entrance of the hospital and appoint Pradhan Mantri Arogya Mitras (PMAMs) to manage the help desk. Adequate number of Arogya Mitras should be deployed to ensure that the help desk remains operational 24 hours a day. They will help in identification and registration of Ayushman cardholders, provide required information to cardholders regarding treatment facilities, and extend necessary assistance to beneficiaries. Sample designs of help desks were also demonstrated to the hospitals.

With the implementation of ABDM, patients will not have to carry their old medical files or reports with them. If a patient is referred from one hospital to another, the patient’s treatment history, investigation reports and other medical information can be transferred easily and quickly. Digital records of CT scans, MRI scans and other diagnostic investigations will also be readily accessible.

Dr. Brundha also directed all hospitals to properly implement the Pradhan Mantri RAHAT (PM-RAHAT) scheme. Hospitals were instructed to ensure that victims of motor vehicle accident who are brought to hospital within 24 hours of accident get free emergency treatment for up to seven days. Each accident victim would be entitled cashless treatment up to Rs. 1.5 lakh.Hospitals were further asked to provide free treatment to Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) cardholders as per the prescribed guidelines. Hospitals were informed that the submission of bills for treatment provided under PM-RAHAT and CAPF health scheme is integrated with the Ayushman portal.

The review meeting was attended by Additional Secretary-cum- Joint Chief Executive Officer, SHAS Ratnakar Sahoo, Additional Director Dr. Bishnu Prasad Mahapatra, and other senior officials, who briefed the hospitals on various aspects of these schemes.