ESI Revises Guidelines For Home Delivery Of Drugs

The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (“ESI”) has issued revised guidelines related to home delivery of drugs to insured persons and beneficiaries in respect of the guidelines circulated on November 3^rd,2023. Pursuant thereto, a Standard Operating Procedure has been introduced with respect to home delivery of drugs vide circular dated January 10^th,2024 bearing No.: U-11013/2/2024-MED-I. Some of the key features thereunder are as follows:

1. The facility can be availed by all senior citizens with chronic illnesses entitled to treatment with ESI, receiving consultations from hospital and prescribed medicines for more than 30 days and are desirous of having their drugs delivered at home. Additionally, all ESI beneficiaries, ESI employees and their dependents, pensioners seeking teleconsultation through e-sanjeevani and handicapped and bed ridden patients on medication for chronic disease shall be eligible to avail the facility.
2. The home delivery facility shall be offered only in certain defined districts as decided by the Dean/MS of the hospital concerned.
3. The hospital shall float a bid on the GeM Portal for hiring services for doorstep delivery of drugs. Each hospital shall develop its own standard operating procedure as per local needs and process flow requirement, guidance for the vendor, pharmacist and other stake holders and grievance redressal system in place. Medicines up-to-maximum of 90 days may be issued to the entitled patient through home delivery option.
4. The selected vendor shall be responsible for intimating the beneficiary regarding the tracking number and webpage for tracking after collection of drug packet from the drug delivery cell. Proof of delivery shall be OTP based or basis the signature of the authorized recipient in a pre-defined format.