How to Book an OP Ticket Online at Kerala Government Hospitals
Get a permanent 16-digit UHID with Aadhaar, then book an OP token at ehealth.kerala.gov.in or the MeHealth app in six steps. Costs, timings, pitfalls.
You can book an OP ticket at a Kerala government hospital online at ehealth.kerala.gov.in or in the MeHealth app, but only once you hold a permanent 16-digit UHID, which you create with your Aadhaar number and an OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile. After that the booking itself takes six short steps: log in, pick the department, pick a date, check availability, choose a token and confirm. As of a November 2025 update, the state was bringing 1,001 medical institutions onto its eHealth network, 100 of them in Ernakulam district.
How do I get a UHID number in Kerala?
The UHID (Unique Health Identification number) is the key to everything here. There are two kinds, and the difference matters more than most people realise when they are handed one at a busy counter.
- Temporary UHID: starts with the letter T. It gets you seen, but doctors cannot see your treatment history on it, and online booking from home is a permanent UHID benefit.
- Permanent UHID: 16 digits, no T. Register at ehealth.kerala.gov.in by clicking Register, entering your Aadhaar number, accepting the terms and typing in the OTP. Your password arrives by SMS.
- No smartphone? You can get a permanent UHID and UHID card at the hospital itself, and Akshaya centres can help with online access.
The catch is the Aadhaar-linked mobile. If the number on your Aadhaar is an old SIM you no longer use, the OTP goes nowhere, so sort that out first. If your Aadhaar needs attention first, our guide to the Aadhaar biometric lock is worth a read. Take the permanent card seriously: as of the November 2025 figures, more than 2.63 crore people held one, against 6.73 crore who had used temporary registrations.
How to book OP ticket online in Kerala?
These are the steps General Hospital Ernakulam publishes for its own patients, and they follow the shared eHealth portal, so they apply wherever the hospital is on the network:
- Log in at ehealth.kerala.gov.in with your UHID (user name) and password.
- Click New Appointment, then Proceed.
- Select the department, then Proceed.
- Select the date and click Check Availability. The free tokens appear on screen.
- Choose a token and click Book Appointment.
- Wait for the SMS with your booking details, and keep it.
The MeHealth app (also written M-Health) does the same job and lets you log in with your UHID or registered mobile number. When the state announced it in April 2025 it was available on Android; check your app store for other platforms. It also shows prescriptions and lab reports, which is reason enough to install it.
If you turn up without a booking, look for the Scan and Book QR code posted at hospitals in the scheme: scanning it with your phone gets you an OP ticket without joining the queue. For a follow-up, the simplest route is to ask at reception after your consultation for an advance ticket on your next date.
How much does an OP ticket cost at a Kerala government hospital?
Very little. General Hospital Ernakulam lists a new OP ticket at Rs 5 (as of October 2026). Neither the hospital nor the state reports we read mention a separate charge for booking online. Since 2025 the state has been fitting government hospitals with POS machines and UPI, so you are not stuck if you only carry a phone. For what free and near-free care actually covers, see our KASP and Karunya health card guide.
| General Hospital Ernakulam | Detail (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| New OP ticket | Rs 5 |
| OP registration | 7.30 am to 1 pm |
| Early counters | Two open from 5 am at the OP Block |
| Evening OP | 1 pm to 6 pm, general OP only |
| Name or age corrections | Medical Records Department, first floor, Administrative Office |
On the day, and what goes wrong
With an advance token, General Hospital Ernakulam says you can go straight to the OP rather than the registration queue. Carry your UHID card and the SMS. Honestly, the online system is most useful for revisits and routine departments; the first visit is where you lose a morning anyway, so use it to get the permanent UHID done.
- Token refused at a specialty OP: in August 2025, Onmanorama reported that online tokens for Radiation Oncology at Kottayam Medical College were generated but not accepted, and patients were sent back to book in person. Before a specialty visit, check by phone that the department honours online tokens.
- Forgot your password: reset it on the portal with your UHID, Aadhaar and mobile number. The new one needs an uppercase letter, a digit and a special character.
- Hospital not showing: not every government facility is on eHealth yet. Ask at the counter, or read our Kochi government vs private hospitals guide before you choose.
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Written By
Haila Kochi Editorial Team
Part of the Haila Kochi editorial team, covering the food, business, lifestyle, and people that make Kochi what it is.
