CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government launched NalamAI, a WhatsApp chatbot that allows people to complete hospital registration and book outpatient (OP) appointments through their mobile phones, as part of its efforts to improve access to government healthcare services.
The service was launched by Health and Family Welfare Minister KG Arunraj on Wednesday. In the first phase, the service will be available in 22 districts, including Chennai and Chengalpattu.
The chatbot enables users to complete a one-time self-registration and book OP appointments without visiting the hospital. People can access the service by sending a “Hi” message to 96192 22999 on WhatsApp and follow the instructions to register and schedule their appointments.
“By using this, people can book appointments without having to wait in queues. If one does not have a smartphone or WhatsApp, she/he can get help from anyone in the family, neighbour, or seek the assistance from e-Seva centres to book the appointment,” Minister Arunraj said.
The Health Department said the service would be introduced on a pilot basis at the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai from July 8.
Arunraj said the initiative was aimed at making government healthcare services easier to access through digital technology. “People can now complete their registration and book OP appointments from their homes using WhatsApp. The initiative is intended to improve access to public healthcare services and reduce the need for patients to visit hospitals for basic procedures,” the minister said.
Officials said the pilot project would be monitored before the service is expanded to other departments and government hospitals across the State. The department expects the chatbot to simplify patient registration and improve access to healthcare services.