UHID, ABHA, OPD Number, MRD Number — All Hospital ID Types in India Explained
You just got back from the hospital and you have a slip with five different numbers on it. One says UHID. One says OPD No. There is a QR code labelled ABHA. The discharge summary mentions an IP number. The billing desk gave you an MRD number when you asked for records.
What is all of this? Which number do you need to keep? Which one gets you your records? This guide explains every patient ID type used in Indian hospitals — what each one is, who issues it, how to find yours, and what it actually does.
Key Takeaways:
- UHID = Hospital-specific permanent patient ID. Your identity at that hospital for life.
- ABHA = National digital health ID (Ayushman Bharat). Works across all hospitals in India.
- OPD Number = Visit-specific outpatient number. Changes every visit or annually.
- IP Number = Admission-specific number for hospitalised patients.
- MRD Number = Medical Records Department filing number. Used to retrieve old records.
- Most Indians have multiple of these IDs and none of them talk to each other — that is the core problem.
Figure Out Which ID You Have
Select which number or card you are holding to find out what it is and how to use it.
UHID — Unique Health Identification Number
What it is: A UHID (Unique Health Identification number) is a permanent patient identification number assigned to you by a specific hospital when you register for the first time. It is the hospital's internal ID for you — it follows you across all departments and every future visit to that hospital.
Who issues it: The individual hospital. Every major hospital in India has its own UHID system. AIIMS Delhi has its own. Apollo Chennai has its own. They do not connect.
What it looks like: A 6–12 digit alphanumeric or numeric code, sometimes printed on a plastic UHID card. Examples: 2024-0047831, UHID-BLR-00892714.
What it is used for:
- Retrieving your old records and lab reports at that hospital
- Pre-filling your details at registration without re-entering everything
- Linking scans, lab reports, and prescriptions from all departments to your single patient profile
- Billing and medical records management within the hospital
How to find your UHID:
- Printed on your hospital registration card or slip from your first visit
- On the top of any prescription, discharge summary, or lab report from that hospital
- Ask at the hospital's OPD registration desk — they can look it up with your name, phone number, or Aadhaar
Important: Your UHID is specific to one hospital. You will have a different UHID at every hospital you have been registered at.
ABHA — Ayushman Bharat Health Account
What it is: ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) is a digital health ID that allows individuals to store and manage their health records. It is part of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), enabling seamless access to healthcare services and the sharing of medical data with healthcare providers.
Who issues it: The National Health Authority (NHA), Government of India. It is a national ID — one per citizen.
What it looks like: A 14-digit number (e.g., 12-3456-7890-1234). Also has a username-based ABHA address (e.g., yourname@abdm). Both come with a downloadable ABHA card with a QR code.
What it is used for:
- Your ABHA ID acts like a "key that unlocks your personal health locker" — the main purpose is to create a seamless and secure way to access and share health records
- Links records from different hospitals and labs to one national ID (with your consent)
- Enables hospitals to pull your existing records by scanning your ABHA QR code instead of requiring paper
- Can link COVID vaccination certificate, insurance records, and diagnostic reports
ABHA vs PM-JAY: ABHA is not directly linked to PM-JAY. It is part of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), which aims to digitise health records across the country — whereas PM-JAY is a health insurance scheme for eligible low-income families.
How to create your ABHA:
- Visit abdm.gov.in or download the ABDM app
- Choose registration method: Aadhaar OTP (recommended), or driving licence
- Verify your identity via OTP sent to Aadhaar-linked mobile
- Receive your 14-digit ABHA number instantly
- Download your ABHA card as a PDF
Current status: Over 618 million ABHA IDs have been created as of mid-2024. The government has directed all states to link health scheme records to ABHA.
Key privacy note: Health data is stored with the originating healthcare provider, not centrally — people cannot access your medical records using your ABHA ID unless you provide consent.
OPD Number — Outpatient Department Number
What it is: An OPD number is a visit-specific registration number given to you each time you visit a hospital's Outpatient Department. Unlike UHID (which is permanent), an OPD number is usually temporary.
Who issues it: The hospital's OPD registration desk.
What it looks like: A shorter number (often 4–8 digits) that appears on your OPD ticket or token. It may reset daily, annually, or per registration cycle depending on the hospital.
What it is used for:
- Tracks your specific visit — which doctor you saw, on which date
- The doctor at the OPD counter calls patients by OPD number or token
- Required on the same day for billing at OPD counters
- After a few weeks, the OPD number is usually no longer searchable in the system
Important distinction: An OPD number is NOT permanent. For long-term record retrieval, you need your UHID. Think of the OPD number as the appointment number for today's visit; the UHID is your permanent identity at that hospital.
→ Full guide: OPD Number in Hospital — What It Means & How It Works
IP Number — Indoor Patient Number
What it is: When a patient is admitted to a hospital (moves from outpatient to inpatient care), they are assigned an IP Number (Indoor Patient Number), also called an Admission Number at some hospitals.
Who issues it: The hospital admission desk at the time of admission.
What it looks like: A 6–10 digit number specific to that admission. A patient admitted three times to the same hospital would have three different IP numbers — one per admission.
What it is used for:
- Tracks all treatment, medication, investigations, and nursing notes from that specific hospitalisation
- Appears on all discharge summaries, operation theatre notes, and ward medication charts
- Used to retrieve discharge summaries and in-hospital treatment records
- Required when applying for insurance reimbursement for that hospitalisation
How to find your IP number:
- Top of your discharge summary
- On hospital wristband (worn during admission)
- Billing department for that specific hospitalisation
MRD Number — Medical Records Department Number
What it is: An MRD number is the filing reference number used by the hospital's Medical Records Department to locate your physical or digital medical record file. It may or may not be the same as your UHID depending on the hospital.
In large hospitals: UHID and MRD number are often identical — the UHID is the MRD number.
In teaching hospitals and older government hospitals: MRD has a separate numbering system. The MRD number is the code used internally by the records room to file and retrieve your cumulative case papers (the fat physical folder containing all past case sheets, investigation reports, and discharge summaries).
What it is used for:
- Requesting a copy of your medical records from the Medical Records Department
- Getting discharge summaries, investigation reports, or operation notes from past admissions
- Medico-legal case management
- Required when applying for disability certificates, insurance, or legal matters involving medical history
How to get your MRD number:
- Ask at the Medical Records Department window (most hospitals have one)
- Quote your UHID — they can cross-reference and give you the MRD number
- On any document issued by the MRD, such as copies of old case sheets
EMPI / Hospital-Specific Master Patient Index
Large private hospital chains (Apollo, Fortis, Max, Manipal) use an Enterprise Master Patient Index (EMPI) — a system that links your IDs across all branches of the same hospital group.
This means your Apollo patient number from Delhi works at Apollo Chennai — the system can pull your records from any Apollo branch. This is only within the chain; it does not link to government hospitals or other private chains.
The Fundamental Problem — Fragmentation
Let us be honest about the state of Indian medical records:
| Hospital | ID System | Works At |
|---|---|---|
| AIIMS Delhi | UHID | AIIMS Delhi only |
| Apollo Hospitals (any city) | Apollo MRD | Apollo chain only |
| Fortis Healthcare | Fortis UHID | Fortis chain only |
| Government hospital (state) | State-specific | That hospital only |
| ABHA (National) | National | All ABDM-linked providers (growing) |
A patient who had a heart attack at AIIMS in 2019, surgery at Fortis in 2022, and now sees a cardiologist at a private clinic in 2026 — that cardiologist has no access to the AIIMS or Fortis records unless the patient physically carries them.
This is why patients in India need to own their own records. The ABHA system is designed to eventually solve this, but adoption by hospitals is still incomplete.
Which ID Should You Keep Safe?
Keep ALL of them, but prioritise:
| ID | Priority | Why |
|---|---|---|
| UHID (each hospital) | High | Needed to retrieve records from that hospital |
| ABHA number | High | National ID; will become increasingly important as ABDM adoption grows |
| IP Number (each admission) | Medium | Needed for insurance claims and discharge summary retrieval |
| OPD Number | Low | Usually only needed on the day of visit |
| MRD Number | Medium | Needed when requesting certified medical record copies |
People Also Ask
Is ABHA the same as UHID?
No. UHID is issued by an individual hospital for your identity at that hospital only. ABHA is a national 14-digit ID issued by the Government of India as part of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission — it is designed to work across all hospitals in India. They serve different but complementary purposes.
If I have ABHA, do I still need UHID?
Yes — for now. ABHA adoption is still growing and not all hospitals are ABDM-linked. Your UHID at each hospital remains the primary way to retrieve that hospital's records. Over time, as more hospitals join ABDM, ABHA will take on more of this function.
How do I find my UHID?
Your UHID is printed on your hospital registration card from your first visit, on the top of any prescription or lab report from that hospital, or can be found by asking at the OPD registration desk with your name and phone number.
Can I have multiple UHID numbers?
Yes — you will have a different UHID at every hospital where you have ever been registered. This is the core fragmentation problem of Indian medical records. Each hospital issues its own UHID independently.
Conclusion
The four IDs on your hospital slip are not bureaucratic noise — each one serves a real function in the Indian healthcare system. UHID gives you continuity within a hospital; ABHA is building a national layer over all of them; OPD and IP numbers track specific visits and admissions; MRD numbers unlock your file when you need certified copies.
The practical solution for any patient today is to carry all of them — and to photograph and store every hospital document the day you receive it. Ayu is built specifically for this: scan, store, and organise every prescription, lab report, discharge summary, and vaccination certificate — all accessible in seconds on Android and iOS.
→ Download Ayu free: Android | iOS
Disclaimer
Hospital ID systems vary between individual hospitals. Specific numbering formats, UHID display locations, and MRD procedures may differ from what is described here. Contact your specific hospital's reception or Medical Records Department for institution-specific guidance.
