E-Health System Now Active in 800 Health Institutions Across Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: The state government of Kerala has successfully implemented the e-Health system across 800 public health institutions as part of its digital health transformation efforts. Health Minister Veena George announced that this initiative has been extended to a wide range of facilities, including 18 medical colleges and their affiliated institutions, 33 district and general hospitals, 88 taluk hospitals, 48 community health centres, 512 family health centres, 79 urban family health centres, 14 speciality hospitals, three public health laboratories, and five other health centres.

The e-Health system introduces a number of services designed to make healthcare more accessible and efficient. These include a digital payment system, online outpatient (OP) ticket booking, the MeHealth mobile application, and a Scan & Book feature. These tools help patients avoid long queues and reduce waiting times at hospitals.

So far, more than 2.62 crore people have permanently registered for a Unique Health ID (UHID) through the e-Health platform. In addition, over 8.88 crore individuals have sought treatment using temporary registration, while 15.27 lakh patients have received treatment following admission to healthcare facilities. Through the system, patients can now obtain OP tickets in advance without physically standing in line. For follow-up visits, they can receive tokens ahead of time either directly from the hospital or through the e-Health portal and the MeHealth mobile app. All patient records, including treatment details, laboratory results, and prescriptions, are available online through the e-Health platform, allowing for better continuity of care.

Registering for the service is simple. Users must visit the official e-Health portal at https://ehealth.kerala.gov.in and click on the registration link. After entering their Aadhaar number and verifying it with the one-time password (OTP) received on the mobile number linked to Aadhaar, users will be issued a personal health identification number. After their first login, a 16-digit identification number and password will be sent via SMS. These credentials can then be used to make hospital appointments and access digital health services.

District-wise implementation of the e-Health system shows significant progress across Kerala. Thiruvananthapuram leads with 121 institutions onboard, followed by Ernakulam with 83, Malappuram with 81, Thrissur with 79, and Kozhikode with 68. Palakkad has 57 institutions using the system, while Kannur has 55, Alappuzha and Kottayam have 49 and 45 respectively, and Kollam also has 45. Idukki and Pathanamthitta each have 27, Wayanad has 33, and Kasaragod has 30 health institutions under the e-Health network.