The registration counter is where ABDM succeeds or fails in a hospital. If creating an ABHA slows the queue, staff skip it. This guide explains what ABHA is, the ways counters can create and verify it, and how to fit it into a busy OPD morning.
ABHA number and ABHA address
An ABHA number is a 14-digit Ayushman Bharat Health Account number that identifies a person in India’s digital health ecosystem. An ABHA address is an easy-to-remember handle, such as name@abdm, that the patient uses in health apps. Recording the ABHA at registration is what lets the hospital link that visit, and every later report, to the patient’s health account.
Ways to create an ABHA at the counter
- Aadhaar OTP: the patient gives their Aadhaar number and confirms with an OTP on their Aadhaar-linked mobile.
- Biometric: for patients whose mobile is not linked to Aadhaar, where the setup supports biometric authentication.
- Driving licence: an alternative document-based enrolment path.
After creation, the counter can help the patient pick an ABHA address, verify their mobile or email, and download or print the ABHA card with its QR code.
Patients who already have ABHA
Many patients already have an ABHA from a vaccination drive, a scheme enrolment or a health app. Counters can log them in with their ABHA number, mobile number or ABHA address and an OTP, and pull their verified profile into the registration form instead of typing it.
Scan & Share: the fastest registration
With Scan & Share, the hospital displays a facility QR code. The patient scans it with their ABHA-enabled app and shares their profile. The hospital’s software receives the details and issues a token, so the patient can skip the typing part of registration entirely. In busy OPDs this is the single biggest time-saver ABDM offers.
A counter workflow that doesn’t slow the queue
- Ask every patient: “Do you have an ABHA?”
- If yes, use Scan & Share or ABHA login to fill the form.
- If no, and the patient agrees, create ABHA with Aadhaar OTP.
- If OTP or network delays occur, complete the registration first and add the ABHA later, rather than holding the queue.
- Print the OPD slip and token as usual.
Never make registration dependent on ABHA. Patients must still be seen if they have no ABHA, no phone or no Aadhaar.
Explaining ABHA and consent to patients
Patients are often wary of anything involving Aadhaar. A short, consistent explanation helps: ABHA is a health account that lets them keep their records in one place; the hospital can link their records to it; and those records are shared with other doctors only when the patient approves a consent request in their app.
Training tips for registration staff
- Practise each flow (OTP, login, Scan & Share) before go-live.
- Put a printed Scan & Share QR code where patients queue, not only at the counter.
- Keep a one-page fallback guide for OTP failures.
- Review daily how many registrations included ABHA, and why others did not.
How Swastik HMS supports the counter
The registration module in Swastik HMS stores the ABHA number with the patient record, and its ABDM integration supports ABHA creation with Aadhaar OTP, biometrics or driving licence, ABHA address selection, ABHA login, the ABHA card and QR code, and Scan & Share registration that issues a token number, alongside the OPD token queue.
Want to see ABHA registration in action? Request a demo or call +91 76545 31678.