A Study of Awareness and Utilization of Medical benefit under the ESI Scheme among Insured Person Working in a Tertiary care Government Teaching Hospital Lucknow

Background: The Employees' State Insurance (ESI) Scheme is a comprehensive social security program designed to provide healthcare and cash benefits to insured persons (IPs) and their dependents in India.Among its various components, medical benefits are critical as they ensure access to preventive and curative services without out-of-pocket expenditure.However, awareness and utilization of these benefits remain inconsistent, particularly among hospital employees themselves.Objectives: To assess the level of awareness and utilization of medical benefits under the ESI Scheme among insured persons employed in a tertiary care government teaching hospital in Lucknow.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among insured employees in a tertiary care government teaching hospital in Lucknow.Data were collected using a structured questionnaire assessing socio-demographics, awareness of ESI medical benefits, and self-reported utilization patterns.Results: Awareness of medical benefits was relatively high among insured persons with higher education levels and longer employment duration but varied across other demographic groups.Despite acceptable awareness, actual utilization of medical benefits was very low, with significant differences observed by gender, age, and income level.Barriers to utilization included lack of clarity on procedures, limited time, and alternative healthcare preferences.Conclusion: While overall awareness of ESI medical benefits among insured hospital employees is moderate to high, utilization remains suboptimal.Targeted awareness campaigns and streamlined processes are recommended to improve uptake of entitled medical services.