Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission

Why in news?

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 27^th September 2021 launched the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, which according to the central government will strengthen health facilities in the country

 Features of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission:

• It is a complete digital health ecosystem and is implemented by the National Health Authority (NHA) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
• It aims to develop the backbone necessary to support the integrated digital health infrastructure of the country. It will bridge the existing gap amongst different stakeholders of Healthcare ecosystem through digital highways.
• It provides a digital Health ID to people which will contain their health records.
• This mission will create interoperability within the digital health ecosystem, similar to the role played by the Unified Payments Interface in revolutionising payments.

Key components of the mission:

• Health ID
  • It is a unique 14-digit health identification number- for every citizen that will also work as their health account
  • Various healthcare providers — such as hospitals, laboratories, insurance companies, online pharmacies, telemedicine firms — will be expected to participate in the health ID system.
  • The national Health ID will be a repository of all health-related information of a person.
  • The health ID will enable access and exchange of longitudinal health records of citizens with their consent.
  • Every patient who wishes to have their health records available digitally must create a unique Health ID, using their basic details and mobile or Aadhaar number.
  • This health account will contain details of every test, every disease, the doctors visited, the medicines taken and the diagnosis.
  • This information will be very useful as it is portable and easily accessible even if the patient shifts to new place and visits a new doctor.
  • The Health ID will be free of cost and voluntary and applicable across states, hospitals, diagnostic laboratories and pharmacies.
• Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR)
  • It is a comprehensive repository of all healthcare professionals involved in delivery of healthcare services across both modern and traditional systems of medicine.
  • Enrolling in the Healthcare Professionals Registry will enable them to get connected to India’s digital health ecosystem.
• Health Facility Registry (HFR)
  • It is a comprehensive repository of health facilities of the nation across different systems of medicine.
  • It includes both public and private health facilities including hospitals, clinics, diagnostic laboratories and imaging centers, pharmacies, etc. Enrolling in the Health Facility Registry will enable them to get connected to India's digital health ecosystem.
• Personal Health Record-System (PHR)
  • A PHR is an electronic record of health-related information on an individual that conforms to nationally recognized interoperability standards and that can be drawn from multiple sources while being managed, shared, and controlled by the individual.
  • The most salient feature of the PHR is that the information it contains is under the control of the individual.
  • The functions that are supported by a Personal Health Record-System (PHR) will enable an individual to manage information about his or her healthcare.
  • This includes viewing of a longitudinal record, comprising of all health data, lab reports, treatment details, discharge summaries across one or multiple health facilities.

Key objectives of the mission:

• To establish state-of-the-art digital health systems, to manage the core digital health data, and the infrastructure required for its seamless exchange.
• To establish registries at appropriate level to create single source of truth in respect of clinical establishments, healthcare professionals, health workers, drugs and pharmacies
• To enforce adoption of open standards by all national digital health stakeholders
• To create a system of personal health records, based on international standards, easily accessible to individuals and healthcare professionals
• To ensure national portability in the provision of health services
• To promote a better management of the health sector leveraging health data analytics and medical research
• To adopt the best principles of cooperative federalism while working with the States and Union Territories for the realization of the vision

Add ons:

• The current strong public digital infrastructure—including that related to Aadhaar, Unified Payments Interface and wide reach of the Internet and mobile phones (JAM trinity) —provides a strong platform for establishing the building blocks of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission

PRACTICE QUESTION:

With reference to ‘Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, ’consider the following statements:

1. It is implemented by the National Health Authority (NHA) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

2. It ensures national portability in the provision of health services

3. It provides a digital Health ID to every citizen which will contain their health records

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1,2 and 3

Answer