Scan and share to register outpatients, India.

Problem: To address the long waiting times patients incur when visiting outpatient departments in India.

Approach: In 2022, the National Health Authority in India developed a paperless service, called Scan and Share, leveraging mobile technology and QR (quick-response) codes to streamline outpatient department appointments. Patients can use a mobile application (app) to scan QR codes at health facilities, generating tokens linked to registration counters. The service integrates patients' demographic data from their Ayushman Bharat Health Account with the facilities' health information systems. Collaboration with government bodies, health workers and patient advocacy groups ensured compliance with data protection regulations. For developers, the National Health Authority published detailed technical specifications outlining standards for app functionality, security and interoperability on the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission platform.

Local Setting: Launched in 2021, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission in India aims to digitize health care, creating a shared digital infrastructure for affordable and accessible care.

Relevant Changes: As at 19 October 2024, the Scan and Share service operates in 16 939 health-care facilities across 35 states and territories. The service has reduced waiting times from 1 hour to 2-5 minutes. Out of 56 801 213 tokens generated, 714 014 (1.3%) were issued in the private sector. There are currently 2074 active developers, with 1545 from the private sector.

Lessons Learnt: The Scan and Share service is transforming health-care delivery by reducing outpatient department queues, waiting times and errors. High-performing states can provide valuable insights for states with low service adoption.