Delhi govt to conduct door-to-door survey in August for issuing e-health cards

The Delhi government is expected to start a door-to-door survey this August for creating a detailed health database for its much awaited e-health cards and health information management system (HIMS), senior health officials said on Monday, adding that the department is aiming to distribute cards from November or December, much ahead of the scheduled deadline of 2023

The Delhi government is expected to start a door-to-door survey this August for creating a detailed health database for its much awaited e-health cards and health information management system (HIMS), senior health officials said on Monday, adding that the department is aiming to distribute cards from November or December, much ahead of the scheduled deadline of 2023.

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Officials from the Delhi government’s health department said the door-to-door survey will be conducted across the city to collect each resident’s basic details such as age, gender, history of major health ailments, progress on ongoing treatments, drug allergies, and history of surgeries, among others.

This information will be used to create a database that will in turn be used to create the government’s HIMS, which will, in the coming years, help Delhi government hospitals to record and track each patient’s medical history so that treatment can be uninterrupted.

“The idea behind this information database is that if a patient is being referred to a bigger hospital or wants to continue their treatment in a different hospital, they will no longer have to narrate their symptoms, medical history and treatment course. Once their information is entered in the system, their treatment can be continued in any hospital based on their digital records,” said a senior official of the health department, asking not to be named.

Delhi government had earlier announced that the HIMS and health card scheme will “revolutionise health-care system in Delhi”. The initial plan was to distribute the health cards by 2023, but the health department is working on war footing to speed up the project.

Officials also said once the survey is completed, the next step would be to launch a pilot for the QR code-based health cards. The department is aiming to start issuing the cards from November or December, officials said.

A government official, who is tracking the progress of the scheme, said Delhi residents will be able to apply for the QR code-based health cards through a dedicated website and mobile application or by physically applying for the cards at Delhi government hospitals, dispensaries and mohalla clinics.

“These cards will be valid for any treatment in Delhi government facilities and will also be used for references to private hospitals. Everything will be centralised,” the official said, asking not to be named.