Emergency Referral – AIIMS Bilaspur Launches Student-Built Digital Platform for Faster Critical Care
Emergency Referral – The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bilaspur, has introduced a new digital emergency referral platform named “Aapat Setu,” a technology-driven initiative designed to improve the transfer of critically ill patients between hospitals. The platform was developed by a Class IX student and aims to ensure that specialists receive essential patient information before the patient reaches the referral hospital, allowing treatment preparations to begin without delay.
Platform Introduced to Improve Emergency Preparedness
The digital platform was officially launched on Tuesday through a virtual ceremony led by AIIMS Bilaspur Chairman Narendra Kumar Arora. The inauguration was held under the guidance of Union Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda and also marked the unveiling of the institute’s new bilingual official website.
Officials believe the initiative could play a significant role in strengthening emergency healthcare, particularly during large-scale accidents and natural disasters. Himachal Pradesh has witnessed severe rain-related calamities over the past three years, resulting in the loss of more than 1,000 lives and property damage estimated at over ₹35,000 crore. In such situations, quicker coordination between hospitals can make a crucial difference in saving lives.
Student’s Innovation Addresses Information Gaps
The concept behind “Aapat Setu” was created by 14-year-old Darsh Verma, a student of DAV School, Bilaspur, and son of Dr. Dinesh Verma. Inspired by challenges observed in emergency medical referrals, he designed the platform to solve a common problem faced by healthcare professionals when patients arrive without complete medical records.
The system allows referring hospitals to upload a patient’s medical history, diagnostic reports, treatment details and current clinical condition in real time. As soon as the information is submitted, specialists at the receiving hospital receive SMS notifications, enabling them to prepare operation theatres, diagnostic facilities, required medical equipment and expert teams before the patient’s arrival.
Speaking about the project, Darsh said the primary objective is to reduce delays in emergency treatment by ensuring doctors have access to complete patient information during transit. He added that advance notifications allow hospitals to begin preparations while the patient is still on the way, improving the chances of timely medical intervention.
Plans for Wider Expansion
According to Darsh, the present version of the platform can connect between 100 and 200 hospitals. Future upgrades are expected to support thousands of healthcare institutions while introducing additional features such as patient photographs and more detailed clinical records to strengthen emergency decision-making.
He explained that the idea originated after discussions with his father regarding the challenges doctors face when patients are referred without adequate documentation. The platform was developed to bridge this communication gap and improve hospital readiness before emergencies reach tertiary care centres.
AIIMS Recommends National Adoption
AIIMS Bilaspur has recommended the platform to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for implementation across all AIIMS institutions, citing its potential to modernise emergency referral systems and improve patient outcomes nationwide.
Dr. Dinesh Verma, Senior Physician and Medical Superintendent at AIIMS Bilaspur, said that advance sharing of patient information enables hospitals to keep specialists, operation theatres, diagnostic facilities and necessary equipment ready before arrival. He noted that reducing delays during critical care can significantly improve emergency response and patient survival.
He also highlighted the platform’s scalability, stating that while it currently supports integration with hundreds of hospitals, it has the capability to expand across a much larger healthcare network and eventually serve as a national digital referral model.
New Website and Future Healthcare Network
Alongside the platform launch, AIIMS Bilaspur introduced its bilingual official website in Hindi and English to improve accessibility for patients, students, researchers and the general public. The portal offers information on departments, doctors, OPD and IPD services, academic programmes, recruitment, tenders, citizen services and institutional updates through a user-friendly interface.
The institute said “Aapat Setu” will gradually connect hospitals, emergency services and healthcare professionals into a unified digital network. Once hospitals across Himachal Pradesh are linked, the platform is expected to provide a real-time dashboard displaying specialist availability and vacant hospital beds, helping authorities coordinate emergency referrals more efficiently.
AIIMS Bilaspur currently serves patients from Himachal Pradesh as well as neighbouring Punjab, Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir. The institute has operationalised its 750-bed facility, treats more than 1,500 patients daily and is planning to expand inpatient capacity to around 960 beds. It has also graduated its first MBBS batch and currently has nearly 900 students enrolled across medical, nursing and paramedical programmes while continuing to expand super-speciality healthcare and research activities.