In an effort to revolutionize India’s healthcare sector, the Government of India has launched the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.
The initiative was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Independence Day 2021 and is expected to transform the way healthcare is delivered and accessed in the country.
What is Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission?
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission is a digital health infrastructure that aims to create a seamless and interoperable health ecosystem in India.
It is a part of the larger Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) program that was launched in 2018. AB PM-JAY provides health insurance coverage of up to Rs. 5 lakhs per family annually for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to over 10 crore vulnerable families in India.
The Digital Mission aims to leverage technology to enhance the delivery of healthcare services, improve patient outcomes, and reduce healthcare costs. It is expected to improve the efficiency, transparency, and accountability of the healthcare system in India.
What are the key components?
The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission has three key components:
- Digital Health Infrastructure: To create a robust digital health infrastructure that enables the storage and exchange of health data in a secure and privacy-preserving manner. This will include a range of components, such as health registries, health information exchanges, and health analytics platforms.
- Health ID: The National Health Authority (NHA) will issue a unique ID to every Indian citizen. The ABDM health idwill be a digital document that will contain the individual’s health records, medical history, and other relevant health-related information. The health ID will be linked to the individual’s Aadhaar number to ensure the authenticity of the information.
- Health Facility Registry: it is a comprehensive database of all healthcare facilities in the country. The registry will provide information on the facility’s infrastructure, services provided, and the number of patients treated.
- Personal Health Records: To enable citizens to create and maintain their own health records, giving them greater control over their healthcare and allowing them to make more informed decisions. This will be a digital repository of a citizen’s health-related information, including medical history, prescriptions, and test results.
- Telemedicine: To promote telemedicine and increase access to healthcare services, especially in rural areas where healthcare facilities are often inadequate. This will enable citizens to consult with doctors remotely using digital tools such as video conferencing and mobile apps.
What are the benefits?
The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission is expected to bring numerous benefits to the healthcare sector in India. Some of the key benefits are:
- Improved patient outcomes: The ABDM health idwill provide doctors and healthcare providers with access to the patient’s medical history and other relevant health-related information. This will enable doctors to make more informed decisions and provide better treatment to patients.
- Increased efficiency: This Digital Mission will reduce the time and effort required to access health records and other relevant health-related information. This will lead to increased efficiency and productivity in the healthcare sector.
- Cost savings: This will reduce the need for manual record-keeping and paperwork. This will result in cost savings for healthcare providers and the government.
- Better monitoring: It will enable the government to monitor the performance of healthcare providers and ensure accountability. This will lead to improved quality of care and better health outcomes.
Over to you:
The Ayushman Bharat Card is a game-changer for the healthcare sector in India. It could transform how healthcare is delivered and accessed in the country.
The initiative is expected to improve patient outcomes, increase efficiency, reduce healthcare costs, and ensure accountability in the healthcare sector. The Digital Mission is a step towards achieving the vision of Universal Health Coverage in India.
