Hyderabad: The Telangana government has announced plans to introduce “Health ATMs” in hospitals across rural areas, aiming to provide faster and more accessible healthcare services to remote communities.
As part of a pilot project, Health ATMs have already been installed at King Koti Hospital and Malakpet Area Hospital in Hyderabad. Developed by a private Delhi-based company, these digital kiosks have been undergoing trial operations for the past two months. Officials stated that the ATMs can perform a wide range of basic health tests within minutes, offering quick results to patients.
Currently, most primary health centres (PHCs) in rural regions lack adequate diagnostic facilities. Blood and urine samples are sent to district-level diagnostic centres, often taking at least two days for results to arrive. This delay is particularly problematic during outbreaks of seasonal diseases. To address this issue, the state government has decided to focus on setting up Health ATMs that deliver immediate diagnostic reports.
According to officials, these advanced kiosks are equipped with integrated medical devices capable of instantly recording key health indicators such as body temperature, blood pressure, height, weight, BMI, and oxygen levels. They can also conduct glucose, ECG, cholesterol, and urine tests, along with rapid tests for diseases such as dengue, malaria, and HIV—covering a total of 132 diagnostic parameters. The results are securely stored in digital format, enabling patients to access their medical records online at any time. After testing, patients can consult doctors virtually through the machine, with health data transmitted instantly to physicians for diagnosis and treatment advice.
During the pilot phase, 20 to 25 patients per day used the Health ATMs at King Koti and Malakpet hospitals. The test results were cross-verified with those from the Narayanguda T-Diagnostic Centre and private laboratories. Reports from all sources matched, confirming the reliability and accuracy of the Health ATM results. The health department has submitted a report on these findings to the government.
Similar self-operated kiosks are already functioning in states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, and Sikkim. The same Delhi-based company currently managing the Telangana pilot project also operates in these states. Health Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha has directed senior officials to study these models and prepare a detailed report. Based on their recommendations, the government plans to form a committee to oversee the procurement and installation of Health ATMs across rural health centres in Telangana.