AIIMS-Delhi to adopt 100% digital payments, no cash payment after March 31

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Wednesday said that its Smart Card started on a pilot basis in some departments would be rolled out across all sections by March 31 for enabling all kinds of payments. Subsequently, no cash payment shall be accepted at any counters other than at the 'AIIMS Smart Card' top-up counters which shall be operationalised in multiple locations and shall operate on 24x7 basis, the premier health institute said in a statement.

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In an official order AIIMS Director M Srinivas said he had in November 2022 advised that 'AIIMS Smart Card' facility shall be started for patients and their attendants from April 1, 2023 in collaboration with SBI Bank. He said this was done to transition the payment of any form of user charges at AIIMS New Delhi to totally digital payment mode and to improve patient convenience so that they don't have to stand in queues for making payments for various investigations and procedures or for getting snacks/food in cafeteria etc.

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The director said that a recent news report had highlighted that an outsourced service provider had tampered with the final discharge bills of patients and charged them more thereby causing them financial loss and mental agony. "This further highlights the importance of transitioning to 100% integrated digital payment systems at AIIMS New Delhi so as to ensure that no patient is fleeced and the Institute accounting is also auditable on end to end basis," he said.

"Accordingly, it is advised that the AIIMS Smart Card which has been started on pilot basis in few areas should be operationalized pan AIIMS New Delhi for all sorts of payments by 31st March 2024," the director said, adding that no cash payment shall be accepted at any counters other than at the 'AIIMS Smart Card' top up counters which shall be operationalized in multiple locations within the OPDs, Hospital and Centres and shall operate on 24x7 basis. 

"Other than electronic payments via UPI, Debit Cards, Credit Cards, etc., 'AIIMS Smart Card' be the only way to payments for all investigations and procedures. All payments shall be accepted at the payment end points installed nearest to the patient location and patients or their attendants shall not be asked to visit the central registration counters to make any payments," the order said.