Bhubaneswar: The state will soon introduce digital prescriptions as part of a broader push to strengthen the state’s digital healthcare ecosystem, Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling said Sunday, while highlighting that it would help curb unrestricted use of antibiotics.
The initiative is being planned in line with the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) and the recently revamped Aarogya Setu 2.0, which has been positioned as a citizen-facing gateway to digital health services.
Mahaling said the state is preparing to launch a new digital health application that will make healthcare services more accessible, transparent and integrated.
A key component will be the move towards electronic prescriptions, enabling patients to digitally store and access prescriptions issued by doctors. The digital system is expected to make it easier for patients and families to preserve medical records for future consultations and treatment.
It could also help doctors and health authorities track prescription patterns more effectively. One of the major advantages of digitising prescriptions could be better monitoring of antibiotic use.
Digital prescription data can help identify prescribing patterns and support efforts to promote the rational use of antibiotics, particularly amid growing concerns over antimicrobial resistance.
The proposed initiative comes as the Centre expands the ABDM ecosystem, which seeks to connect patients, healthcare providers and health facilities through interoperable digital platforms.
The Centre launched Aarogya Setu 2.0 June 29, 2026, transforming the app from its original COVID-19 role into a broader digital health platform under ABDM.
It can function as a Personal Health Record, while providing access to ABDM-enabled services such as ABHA, digital health records, healthcare facility discovery and digital registration.
