OPD Appointment at Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi: A Patient Guide

Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital (VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital) is a large central-government hospital in New Delhi, run under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It serves patients from across Delhi and surrounding states, offering outpatient, emergency, and inpatient care across more than thirty clinical departments. Because it is a central-government facility, treatment costs are heavily subsidised, and several government health schemes — including Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY and CGHS — are applicable here.

Booking an OPD appointment requires either using the national Online Registration System (ORS) portal at ors.gov.in or arriving at the hospital registration counters during designated hours. The registration fee is nominal; patients living below the poverty line or covered under eligible government schemes may receive treatment at no personal cost. This guide explains what to expect at each step.

Registration and OPD fees at Safdarjung Hospital

All fees are set by the central government and are subject to periodic revision. Verify current amounts at the hospital counter or at vmmc-sjh.mohfw.gov.in before your visit.

• OPD registration fee — A nominal user charge is collected at the registration counter. The hospital's official pages do not publish the current amount; confirm the exact fee at Counter 5 or 6 in the New OPD Building on the day of your visit.
• Online booking fee (ORS portal) — No charge for booking through ors.gov.in; the portal is free to use.
• BPL / economically weaker patients — Patients who cannot afford treatment may be eligible for financial assistance through the National Illness Assistance Fund (NIAF) or the Delhi Arogya Kosh — confirm eligibility with the hospital social-welfare office.
• Diagnostic tests (X-ray, blood, MRI, CT) — Charges apply at subsidised government rates; beneficiaries of PM-JAY or CGHS may have tests covered under those schemes — verify at the respective scheme's desk in the hospital.

Government schemes that help cover treatment

• Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY — Safdarjung Hospital is empanelled under the national PM-JAY scheme. Eligible families receive cashless inpatient and day-care treatment up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year. The hospital bills the scheme directly; the patient pays nothing at admission, during the stay, or at discharge for covered packages. Check eligibility at pmjay.gov.in or the hospital's PM-JAY desk.
• Delhi Arogya Kosh (DAK) — A Delhi government scheme for bonafide Delhi residents who have lived in the city for at least three years and whose annual family income does not exceed Rs 3 lakh. Provides financial assistance up to Rs 5 lakh for serious or life-threatening illnesses treated at central or state government hospitals — which includes Safdarjung. Treatment is cashless; apply through the hospital social-welfare office with income and residency proof.
• CGHS (Central Government Health Scheme) — Central government employees, pensioners, and their dependents can access Safdarjung Hospital under CGHS. A CGHS card and, for elective specialist visits, a referral from the CGHS Wellness Centre are required. The scheme covers OPD consultations, hospitalisations, diagnostics, and surgeries at CGHS package rates.
• ECHS (Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme) — Ex-servicemen and their dependents covered under ECHS may access services at government hospitals. Confirm current empanelment status with the ECHS polyclinic or the hospital's administrative desk.
• BPL / NIAF assistance — Patients below the poverty line may apply for support under the National Illness Assistance Fund managed through the hospital. Approach the medical social-work department with BPL card and relevant documents.

Rates shown are as per the Official Website of VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi (2026) and are subject to periodic revision. Always verify the latest approved rates on the official source.

How to get an appointment at Safdarjung Hospital

There are two routes to an OPD appointment: online through the national ORS portal, or in person at the hospital's registration counters.

Online via ORS (ors.gov.in): Visit the portal, register with your mobile number or ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) ID, log in, and select 'Book Appointment'. Choose Delhi as the state, select VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, pick the department you need, and choose an available slot. The portal is also accessible through the 'eHospital' mobile application available on Google Play Store. After booking, arrive at the hospital and collect your physical registration slip from Counter 5 or 6 in the New OPD Building (or the relevant counter for your department — Dental patients use Room 2 at Gate 1; Psychiatry patients use the 3rd Floor, C-Wing counter; Sports Injury Centre patients go to the SIC OPD reception). The ORS portal charges nothing for booking; you pay the nominal registration fee at the counter when collecting your slip.

Walk-in counter registration: If you are not able to book online, arrive at the New OPD Building counters during registration hours — weekdays from 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM, and Saturdays from 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM. Carry a photo ID (Aadhaar, voter card, or passport) and, if applicable, your scheme card (CGHS, PM-JAY Ayushman card). For follow-up visits, bring your previous prescription and any investigation reports.

Departments across almost all specialties — including Medicine, Surgery, Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, ENT, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedics, Dermatology, Psychiatry, Dental Surgery, Cancer Surgery, Rehabilitation, and all Super Specialty Block departments — are available through the ORS portal.

How long it takes to get seen

Safdarjung Hospital is a very large, high-demand facility. Walk-in patients who arrive at or before the counter opening time stand the quality chance of receiving a token for the same day. Online pre-registration reduces time spent at the registration counter, but waiting time inside the OPD — from token collection to the actual consultation — can still extend to several hours on busy days, particularly for high-demand departments such as Medicine, Orthopaedics, and the Super Specialty Block clinics.

Arriving early is strongly advisable. Tokens are finite, and counters close once the day's quota is filled. Patients with online bookings should arrive well before their slot time to collect their physical slip. For specialist and super-specialty referrals, an initial consultation in the general department concerned may be required before a referral to the specialty block is granted.

Sunday clinics operate for a number of departments including Medicine, Surgery, Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Orthopaedics, Ophthalmology, ENT, and Urology, typically between 8:30 AM and 11:30 AM — useful for patients who cannot attend on weekdays.

What treatment costs and financial help

As a central-government hospital under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Safdarjung Hospital provides care at heavily subsidised rates. The OPD registration fee is nominal. Inpatient treatment, surgeries, medicines from the hospital pharmacy, and in-house diagnostics are provided at government-approved rates that are far below comparable private-sector costs.

Patients covered under Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY receive cashless hospitalisation for a wide range of procedures. PM-JAY covers inpatient and day-care treatment; the hospital processes the claim directly with the scheme and the patient is not billed for covered packages. CGHS beneficiaries follow the CGHS package-rate structure. Eligible Delhi residents with annual household income below Rs 3 lakh may apply for Delhi Arogya Kosh support for serious illnesses, covering up to Rs 5 lakh in treatment costs across government hospitals including Safdarjung.

Patients who do not hold a scheme card but face financial hardship should contact the hospital's medical social work department, which can guide them to the appropriate relief mechanism — NIAF assistance, BPL exemptions, or DAK — based on their documents and situation.

Key departments at Safdarjung Hospital

The hospital runs more than thirty clinical departments across its main OPD building and the Super Specialty Block (SSB). General OPD departments — Medicine, General Surgery, Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dermatology, ENT, Ophthalmology, Psychiatry, and Dental Surgery — operate Monday to Saturday, with most running from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The Central Institute of Orthopaedics (CIO) and Sports Injury Centre are separately housed.

The Super Specialty Block accommodates Cardiology, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery (CTVS), Endocrinology, Nephrology and Renal Transplant, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Pulmonary Medicine, and Urology. Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Haematology, Nuclear Medicine, and Radiodiagnosis and Interventional Radiology are also available. Specialty clinics — focused sub-specialty sessions within these departments — typically run on specific weekday afternoons from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM; check the OPD schedule page on the official website for the current timetable.

Patients unsure which department to approach for their condition should register in the General Medicine or Surgery OPD first; the consulting doctor will refer them to the appropriate specialty if needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to register online, or can I just walk in to Safdarjung Hospital's OPD?

Both options are available. You can book in advance through ors.gov.in (or the eHospital app), then collect your slip at the counter when you arrive. Alternatively, you can walk in and register at the New OPD Building counters from 8:30 AM on weekdays (until 11:30 AM) or Saturdays (until 11:00 AM). Online booking is advisable for high-demand departments to avoid missing the day's quota.

What documents should I bring for my OPD visit?

Carry a valid government-issued photo ID (Aadhaar card, voter ID, or passport). For scheme beneficiaries, bring the relevant card — your Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY) card, CGHS card, or ECHS card. For follow-up visits, bring your previous OPD slip, prescriptions, and investigation reports. For DAK assistance, bring income and residency proof documents.

Is OPD registration at Safdarjung Hospital free for Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY) beneficiaries?

The ORS portal charges nothing for booking an appointment. The nominal counter registration fee applies to all patients; the exact current amount should be confirmed at the counter. Under PM-JAY, inpatient treatment and day-care procedures are cashless for eligible beneficiaries, but OPD registration is a separate, small user charge. For queries, visit the hospital's PM-JAY desk or check pmjay.gov.in.

What is the Delhi Arogya Kosh and how do I apply at Safdarjung Hospital?

The Delhi Arogya Kosh (DAK) is a Delhi government financial assistance scheme for Delhi residents with an annual family income of up to Rs 3 lakh who require treatment for a serious or life-threatening illness at a government hospital. It provides up to Rs 5 lakh in cashless assistance. To apply at Safdarjung Hospital, approach the medical social work department with proof of Delhi residency (minimum three years), income documentation, and the treating doctor's recommendation. The hospital facilitates the process for eligible patients.

Does Safdarjung Hospital have OPD on Sundays?

Yes, Sunday clinics operate for select departments including Medicine, Surgery, Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Orthopaedics, Ophthalmology, ENT, and Urology, generally from 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Not all departments run on Sundays; check the current OPD schedule at vmmc-sjh.mohfw.gov.in/opd-schedule before travelling.

How do I reach the Super Specialty Block for departments like Cardiology or Neurology?

The Super Specialty Block (SSB) is within the Safdarjung Hospital campus. Departments such as Cardiology, Nephrology, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Endocrinology, Pulmonary Medicine, CTVS, and Urology are located there. Patients are typically referred to SSB departments from the general OPD. You can also book an SSB department appointment directly through the ORS portal. The hospital's address is NH 48, Ansari Nagar West, New Delhi 110029, near the AIIMS Metro Station.

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Medical Disclaimer

The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this article.