Posted on: Apr 2, 2024 | 3 mins | Written by: HDFC ERGO Team

All About National Digital Health Mission

What is National Digital Health Mission?

The National Digital Health Mission (NDHM)/Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) envisions a health ID for every Indian, establishing a centralised healthcare delivery system based on digital healthcare. It will make health records easier and facilitate digital sharing with other healthcare organisations. It would also provide continuous treatment and close patient health monitoring. Its main goals are to provide healthcare to all citizens and develop the industry's technology capabilities while making health insurance plans transparent, inclusive, and advanced.

What is NDHM?

The Indian Prime Minister introduced the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) on August 15, 2020. The primary objective of this digital healthcare ecosystem is to securely and effectively deliver healthcare data to individuals throughout India. Both personal health information and public health statistics are included in the dataset.

What is the Objective of NDHM?

● NDHM keeps health records on behalf of individuals with their consent. This makes sharing records easier for patients, healthcare providers, and service providers.

● Promote the public's broad usage of digital health cards. These cards include trustworthy details about physicians, healthcare providers, organisations, clinics, pharmacies, and prescription drugs.

● Encourage national digital healthcare stakeholders to embrace open standards to guarantee system interoperability and uniformity.

What are the Components of the NDHM Framework?

ID for Health

Standardising the process of identifying patients in healthcare is crucial. With their consent, the Health ID will allow senior citizens to share their health information, verify their identification, and be individually identified.

Registry of Health Facilities (HFR)

Both governmental and commercial healthcare establishments, including imaging centres, clinics, hospitals, diagnostic labs, and pharmacies, are included in this register. Joining HFR facilitates access to India's digital health system.

Registry of Healthcare Professionals (HPR)

All medical practitioners who provide healthcare services and family health insurance, whether in traditional or modern medical systems, are included in this register with comprehensive information.

Individual Medical File (PHR)

An electronic health record is called a PHR. It collects information from several sources and is user-controlled, allowing the person to share and manage health-related data.

EMRs, or electronic medical records

An electronic copy of a patient's chart is what the EMR web app is similar to. It includes health history and treatment records from a single medical facility.

What are the Benefits of NDHM for patients?

In India, the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) provides several advantages for patients to raise the standard of treatment, expand access to healthcare services, and enable people to take charge of their health.

Unified Health Records

NDHM makes it easier for everyone to have a unified health record or Health ID. A patient's whole medical history—including diagnoses, treatments, prescriptions, test results, and imaging reports—is combined into a single, secure digital record available from any location.

Better Access to Healthcare Services

Patients, irrespective of location or healthcare institution, may simply retrieve and exchange their health records with clinicians thanks to the Health ID. This easy access to medical information makes faster diagnosis, treatment, and care coordination possible, especially for those seeking care in remote areas or during crises.

Effective Healthcare Delivery

By encouraging interoperability between healthcare systems and providers, NDHM makes it possible for health information to be seamlessly shared across a range of platforms. Better patient outcomes and lower healthcare costs are the consequence of interoperability, which also decreases duplication of tests and procedures and increases the efficiency of healthcare delivery.

How to Get an NDHM Card?

You may use your cellphone number, Aadhaar, or driver's licence to create your digital health ID card.

Through Aadhaar

● Step 1:

Click "Generate ID" on the NDHM official website (https://healthid.ndhm.gov.in/).

● Step 2:

Choose "Generate via Aadhaar," fill up the new page with your Aadhaar number, and press "Submit."

● Step 3:

Your registered mobile number receives One-Time Password (OTP), which you must input in the necessary box.

● Step 4:

To build your digital ID, enter your data and select a username and password.

● Step 5:

Enter your address and log back into your account using your freshly generated username and password.

Through a driver's licence

● Click "Generate ID" on the NDHM official website (https://healthid.ndhm.gov.in/).

● Choose "Generate via Driving Licence" in step two. You will obtain an enrollment number after submitting the data, according to a pop-up window.

● To obtain your digital health ID, bring your enrollment number to a local partner institution. You may create the health ID using your Aadhaar number, if you require it right away.

The Bottom Line

NDHM provides patients with a range of advantages to improve access to healthcare services and the quality of treatment received and gives people more control over their health by utilising digital technology and interoperable health systems. With initiatives like the Health ID, which unifies health information, and telemedicine and remote monitoring, NDHM aims to improve patient safety, expedite healthcare delivery, and encourage patient participation in healthcare decision-making. To ensure confidentiality and adherence to legal requirements, NDHM also places a high priority on privacy and security safeguards for patient health information.

FAQs

1. How does the Health ID help patients, and what is it?

The Health ID is a distinct digital identity that unifies a patient's medical information, facilitating easy access to healthcare services and better coordination of treatment amongst various institutions and providers. It also has information about your health insurance plans.

2. Does the NDHM protect and secure my health information?

To provide confidentiality and protection against unauthorised access, NDHM adheres to regulatory standards and implements strong encryption methods to prioritise the privacy and security of the patient's health data.


Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purposes only. For more details, please refer to the policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.


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