All you need to know about National Digital Health Mission

• The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission was launched on September 27.
• It aims to develop and support an integrated digital health infrastructure in the country.
• It has four key components that are expected to benefit all stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystems.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) earlier on Monday and said it has the power to bring “revolutionary changes” in the healthcare facilities in the country. The mission aims to develop the “backbone necessary to support the integrated digital health infrastructure of the country.”

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates praised the launch of the mission and said it will ensure equitable, accessible healthcare delivery and accelerate progress on India’s health goals.

The ABDM is looking to bridge the gap between various stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystem through digital means. It is expected to help the citizens get better access to the healthcare services in the country.

The components of ABDM

There are four key components of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission that include a health ID, health facility registry, health record and healthcare professionals registry. Let’s take a look at how each component will work.

Health ID

Citizens can create their Health ID to store, access and share their health data. The creation of the ID is voluntary and can be done by linking Aadhaar or mobile number. As per the website, users can erase their health data at will. This ID will allow health healthcare providers to view patients’ past records digitally.

Health facility registry

Healthcare providers can register and be part of ABDM’s digital ecosystem. This list will have the list of registered healthcare providers. It will include both public and private health facilities, such as hospitals, clinics, diagnostic laboratories and imaging centres, pharmacies and others. It is aimed at helping individuals find health services digitally and with ease.

Health Records

The health records is an app that should let users add and maintain their health data. The users can also share the data with whom they wish to, such as doctors, healthcare facilities and others. You can download the health records app here.

Healthcare professionals registry

This component will allow all healthcare professionals to add themselves ABDM’s healthcare ecosystem. It is claimed to be aimed at allowing professionals involved in healthcare services, both modern and traditional, to get online presence and visibility. The healthcare professionals who sign up to ABDM’s registry can view patient’s records online and also treat them online.

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