ESI Issues Guidelines For The Home Delivery Of Drugs And Home Sample Collections

Posted On - 14 December, 2023 • By - King Stubb & Kasiva

In order to reduce long travel and undue hardships for availing medical facilities suffered by beneficiaries, the Employees State Insurance Corporation (“ESIC”) has through a circular dated November 3rd, 2023 bearing No.: V-14/11/15/2014/Med.I (Policy) has extended the facility of home delivery of drugs and home sample collection to entitled insured persons and beneficiaries and framed guidelines for its implementation. Some imperative features are as follows:

  1. Delivery of drugs:
    • Eligibility: It is applicable to all senior citizens (above 60 years) with chronic illnesses entitled to treatment with ESIC, receiving consultations from hospitals and prescribed medicines for more than 30 days. Further, all beneficiaries, ESIC employees and their dependents, pensioners seeking teleconsultation through e-sanjeevani/dhanwantri for chronic ailments requiring medicines for 30 days or more.
    • Hospitals must float a bid on GeM portal for hiring of services for doorstep delivery of drugs inclusive of packaging, collection and electronic information to the beneficiary through SMS/Whatsapp regarding dispatch of drugs and confirmation of delivery to them.
    • After consultation, the treating doctor will generate an online prescription for the beneficiary concerned. If desirous of home delivery, the eligible patient can click home delivery option on prescription page. The drugs should be delivered within a maximum of 48 hours (excluding the day of prescription).
  2. Home Sample Collection:
    • Eligibility: All insured persons and ESIC employees above 40 years are eligible for home sample collection enrolment facility once a year. Further, all senior citizens and their spouses above 60 years are eligible to avail such facility once a year.
    • The services are offered only in identified districts decided by the Dean/MS of concerned hospitals. The services may be availed by eligible beneficiaries through AAA+ app. A nodal office for monitoring sample collection, quality control and report dispatch shall be designated in respect of each concerned hospital. Further, the hospital shall also develop its own SOP basis local needs, process flow requirements, guidance from vendors and grievance redressal.