Uttar Pradesh has activated an electronic prescription (e-prescription) system at Basti District Hospital under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), marking a step towards digitising clinical workflows and strengthening digital health services in the state.

The system enables doctors to create and issue prescriptions electronically, reducing dependence on handwritten prescriptions and helping improve the legibility, accessibility and management of patient records. The initiative is also expected to support more efficient clinical documentation and reduce prescription-related errors associated with illegible handwriting.

The rollout is aligned with ABDM’s objective of building an interoperable digital health ecosystem in India. Under the mission, digital health records can be linked with an individual’s Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA), a 14-digit health account number designed to help citizens access and share their health information digitally with their consent
The e-prescription facility is intended to support the transition from paper-based documentation to structured digital records, enabling authorised healthcare professionals to record prescribed medicines and maintain patient information more systematically. When integrated with interoperable digital health systems, such records can contribute to continuity of care across participating healthcare facilities.

ABDM has introduced several digital interventions to improve healthcare access and administrative efficiency. Its QR-code-based Scan and Share service, for example, has enabled faster outpatient department registration in participating hospitals. The National Health Authority reported in March 2023 that the service had helped more than 10 lakh patients save time spent in hospital queues.

The activation of e-prescriptions at Basti District Hospital highlights the growing role of digital tools in public healthcare delivery. Wider adoption will depend on staff training, reliable digital infrastructure, appropriate data protection measures and integration with other health information systems.

The initiative is expected to support more efficient prescription management and contribute to Uttar Pradesh’s ongoing digital health transformation under ABDM.