How Hospitals Get Empanelled Under PM-JAY
Not every hospital can accept Ayushman Bharat patients. Hospitals must meet specific quality and infrastructure standards set by the National Health Authority (NHA) before they are empanelled under PM-JAY. Understanding this process helps patients trust that PMJAY empanelled hospitals meet minimum quality benchmarks.
Basic Eligibility for Empanelment
To apply for PM-JAY empanelment, a hospital must be registered under the Clinical Establishments Act or state-specific registration rules, have a minimum number of beds (varies by specialty — typically 10+ for basic specialties), have qualified doctors with valid medical registration, meet fire safety and biomedical waste management norms, and have basic diagnostic facilities appropriate to the specialties applied for.
Infrastructure Requirements
For general surgery empanelment, the hospital needs an operation theatre, anaesthesia equipment, post-operative recovery area, and blood bank or blood storage facility. For cardiology empanelment, a cath lab, ICCU, and trained interventional cardiologists are required. For joint replacement, a laminar airflow OT and trained arthroplasty surgeon are mandatory.
Quality Monitoring
Once empanelled, hospitals are subject to regular audits, patient feedback monitoring, treatment outcome tracking, and anti-fraud surveillance. The National Anti-Fraud Unit investigates complaints about unnecessary procedures, ghost claims, and patient overcharging. Hospitals found violating norms face penalties ranging from monetary fines to permanent de-empanelment.
What This Means for Patients
When you search for hospitals on PMJAYHospitals.com, every listed hospital has passed the empanelment screening for its respective specialties. However, empanelment is a minimum standard — not a guarantee of excellence. Patients should still research hospital reputation, surgeon experience, and patient reviews before choosing where to get treated. For major surgeries, visiting 2-3 empanelled hospitals for opinions is always advisable.
Disclaimer: PMJAYHospitals.com is an independent directory. For official information, visit pmjay.gov.in or call 14555.