AIIMS launches ‘Disha’ navigation app to assist patients, visitors

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, has launched an indoor navigation mobile application named ‘AIIMS Disha’ to help patients, visitors and hospital staff find their way around the facility, hospital authorities said on Saturday.

The app, powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), was introduced by Health Minister JP Nadda and Dr M Srinivas, director, AIIMS.

It uses a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon network for room-level location tracking and interactive digital maps to show detailed floor plans. AI routing algorithms offer turn-by-turn directions and recommend the shortest or most accessible path based on user location and mobility needs. Navigation is available even in offline mode.

According to the authorities, the app supports customised routes for wheelchair users, voice and visual navigation in multiple languages, and multi-floor and multi-building routing. Users can search for doctors, labs, pharmacies and billing counters. Live heatmaps help manage crowd flow. The app is available on iOS, Android and the kiosks inside the hospital.

Dr Srinivas said, “The concept of AIIMS Disha stands to represent our vision of leveraging next-generation AI and IoT technologies for patient-centric services. Thus, positioning AIIMS not only as a premier healthcare institution but also as a pioneer for digital infrastructural purchases for hospital navigation.”