Setting up INS: properly identified, properly cared for!

What is the INS?

As of 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Solidarity and Health has introduced the INS (Identité Nationale de Santé), which is a unique identity for each patient that will be used throughout your healthcare pathway (health and medico-social establishments, doctors' surgeries, laboratories, etc.).

What is the INS used for?

The INS completes your identification and also enables us to avoid confusing you with another person or creating a new file for you unnecessarily. This INS will be used on the various documents issued during your health care, as well as in your future digital health space.

How is it generated?

When your file is created, the secretary will query a French government reference identity database linked to civil status.

Show your identity document

This is why we ask you to present a valid identity document when creating your file (identity card, passport, family record book or birth certificate for minors without identity documents), at least once, so that we can validate your INS.

By way of information, it comprises 5 features (birth name, first name(s) at birth, date of birth, sex, place of birth) and a unique registration number for each patient (whereas the social security number is generally shared between several members of a family).

Don't hesitate to take a few minutes to check your INS with the professionals and point out any errors to them: this is important for the quality and safety of your care.

Would you like to find out more about INS?

Consult the Frequently Asked Questions on the website of the Agence du Numérique en Santé: esante.gouv.fr