Union Health Minister J P Nadda has emphasised the need for improved healthcare infrastructure planning, greater adoption of digital health services and stronger mental health support for medical students and faculty members during a review of Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences (ABVIMS) and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital in New Delhi.
During the meeting on Oct 23, Nadda said major healthcare infrastructure projects should incorporate expertise and best practices from leading institutions to improve efficiency, service delivery and patient care.
The Union Minister reviewed the hospital’s performance across clinical services, medical education, research, infrastructure development and quality improvement initiatives.
Focus on Digital Health and Patient Services
Nadda called for accelerated implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) at Dr RML Hospital. He highlighted the importance of expanding e-prescriptions and other digital healthcare services to strengthen patient care and streamline hospital operations.
He also emphasised the mental well-being of medical students and faculty members, acknowledging the effects of stress on academic and professional responsibilities. He encouraged supportive institutional relationships, open communication and continued mental health assistance.
Nadda further recommended implementing Project SARATHI, a youth-led public healthcare initiative aimed at improving patient navigation, managing outpatient department services and reducing non-clinical responsibilities for hospital staff.
RML Hospital Reports 19.4 Lakh OPD Visits in 2025
According to information presented during the review meeting, Dr RML Hospital recorded approximately 19.4 lakh outpatient visits, more than 82,500 inpatient admissions and over 96,600 surgeries and medical procedures in 2025.
The institution currently operates 30 clinical and patient-care departments, along with eight pre-clinical and para-clinical departments.
In 2025, Dr RML Hospital became the first Central government-owned multi-speciality hospital to receive full accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH).
The hospital has also introduced several quality improvement measures, including enhanced patient registration and triage systems, clinical and prescription audits, incident reporting, adverse drug reaction monitoring and patient feedback mechanisms.
Expansion of Ayushman Bharat Services
The review highlighted improvements in access to services under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).
The hospital has increased the number of PM-JAY kiosks from one to three to facilitate patient access to scheme-related services.
PM-JAY pre-authorisation requests also increased from 549 in 2022 to 1,516 in 2025, reflecting greater utilisation of the scheme at the hospital.
Research and Healthcare Development Roadmap
The presentation highlighted the institution’s academic and research activities, including more than 2,200 research publications.
As part of its Viksit Bharat 2047 roadmap, the institution plans to strengthen digital and patient-centric healthcare, expand specialised medical services and improve community outreach through satellite clinics.
The proposed initiatives also include artificial intelligence-enabled monitoring systems and environmentally sustainable healthcare infrastructure.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare stated that the review covered the hospital’s ongoing efforts to improve healthcare delivery, institutional quality and future infrastructure development.
