The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has emphasized the significance of transitioning to a digital payment system, announcing that the ‘AIIMS Smart Card’ will be fully operational across departments for all payments by March 31, 2024. This initiative aims to enhance patient convenience, prevent overcharging, and ensure transparent auditing of the institute’s finances.
In response to recent reports of tampering with discharge bills at another institution, the AIIMS Director, M Srinivas, underscored the need for a 100% integrated digital payment system at AIIMS New Delhi to safeguard patients from financial exploitation and facilitate end-to-end auditability.
The institute specified that, except for ‘AIIMS Smart Card’ top-up counters, no cash payments would be accepted at any other counters. The directive outlined that electronic payment methods, including UPI, debit cards, and credit cards, along with the ‘AIIMS Smart Card,’ would be the exclusive means of payment for all investigations and procedures.
The ‘AIIMS Smart Card’ has undergone successful pilot testing in certain departments and is scheduled to be implemented institution-wide by the end of March. The order emphasized that payment endpoints nearest to the patient’s location would accept all payments, eliminating the need for patients or their attendants to visit central registration counters.