A new initiative has been proposed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to introduce a unified healthcare assistance system that is expected to transform patient experiences across municipal hospitals. The Integrated Patient’s Healthcare Schemes Assistance (IPHSA) project has been planned as a single-window digital platform, with tenders already issued for its implementation.
The system has been conceived to provide cashless treatment to patients and enable faster claim settlements for hospitals. It has been explained by civic officials that patients often face delays, paperwork burdens, and significant out-of-pocket expenses while availing government healthcare schemes. With the IPHSA, these hurdles are expected to be reduced significantly.
The initiative has been designed to integrate multiple government-supported health programmes, including the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana, Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, Employees’ State Insurance Corporation, Rajiv Aarogyasri, and the Health Minister’s Discretionary Fund. Access to all these schemes will be routed through a single system, allowing hospitals to recover claims more efficiently and patients to access treatment without financial strain.
Implementation has been planned in four phases across zones of the civic health network. Zone 1 will bring KEM, Kasturba, ENT, Eye, TB, and Leprosy hospitals under the system. Zone 2 will include Nair Medical College, Nair Dental, and Western Peripheral hospitals. Zone 3 will cover LTMG Medical College, the Thalassemia Centre, and Eastern Peripheral hospitals. Zone 4 will extend the framework to Cooper Medical College, Trauma Centre, maternity homes, dispensaries, Aapla Dawakhana, HBT Polyclinics, and Shiv Yoga Centres.
To ensure smooth operations, the platform will be digitally integrated with existing Hospital Management Information Systems as well as external government portals. Processes such as patient identification, eligibility verification, treatment authorisation, and claim settlement will be completed electronically. A mobile application and progressive web app are also being developed to provide real-time information to patients and hospitals.
Accountability will be ensured through structured reporting at daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly levels. The project will follow the Quality-Based Selection model, which places emphasis on outcomes rather than low-cost bidding. A five-year contract has been proposed, with an initial term of two years and an optional three-year extension based on performance. The service provider will be remunerated through a commission of three to five percent of the total value of claim settlements processed under the scheme.
Confidence has been expressed by the civic administration that the IPHSA will bring transparency, efficiency, and financial sustainability to the municipal health network. It has been emphasised that once operational, the system will make civic hospitals more patient-friendly by ensuring equitable and cashless treatment for citizens across Mumbai.