New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS): The Director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), M. Srinivas, has taken note of the issues being faced in the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (AB-PMJAY) at the premier institute in Delhi and directed to provide seamless health services to the beneficiaries.

Srinivas issued the direction during a meeting convened to discuss and tackle the issues hampering the effective execution of the AB-PMJAY at AIIMS.

The issues Srinivas discussed with the key stakeholders and experts included biometric authentication at discharge, reducing local purchases and

reimbursement process optimisation, among others.

"The need for mandatory biometric authentication at the time of patient discharge was stressed. Nursing staff have been directed to ensure that PMAMs (Pradhan Mantri Arogya Mitras) at the Ayushman Kendra are informed, and authentication is carried out before patients are discharged. Accountability measures for non-compliance were emphasised," AIIMS authorities said on Thursday.

On reducing local purchases, the hospital said, "Efforts were focused on minimising local purchases for PMJAY beneficiaries through in-house mechanisms and rate contracts."

The AIIMS Ddirector urged all the stakeholders to collaborate and resolve the challenges faced in AB-PMJAY implementation to provide seamless healthcare services to the deserving beneficiaries.

AB-PMJAY provides a health cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation services. It provides cashless and paperless access to services for the beneficiaries at the point of service.