On 27th September 2021, Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi took a step forward towards health security for Indian citizens by announcing Digital Health ID Card. During last year’s independence speech, the Prime Minister said, “Every Indian will get a Health ID card. Every time you visit a doctor or a pharmacy, everything will be logged in this card. From the doctor’s appointment to the medication, everything will be available in your health profile.” This is a huge step towards digitizing India.
National Health Authority
The NHA is the responsible authority to bring India’s public health insurance scheme into effect, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. And under this yojana, we have the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) or Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
National Digital Health Mission
NDHM provides the necessary support for the integration of digital health infrastructure in the country. It aims to create a national digital health ecosystem that provides universal health coverage in a productive, effective, accessible, affordable, safe, and easy to use an online platform through the use of a wide range of data, information, and infrastructure services ensuring security, confidentiality, and privacy of health-related personal information.
There are different sections in NDHM
- Health ID Card
- Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR)
- Health Facility Registry (HFR)
- Personal Health Records (PHR)
As said by the Prime Minister, this card will be issued to every individual. A 14-digit Unique Health ID will be provided to the individual through which all of that individual’s medical records can be accessible by patients as well as medical workers.
Also read: Everything you need to know about NDHM
What is a Digital Health ID Card?
Under the NDHM or ABDM, the government of India wants to digitalize the healthcare and medical records for the residents of India. Therefore, the residents will receive a health ID card along with a unique identification number. So, whenever any resident visits a hospital or consults any medical practitioner, they can access the resident's medical record and history using this unique identification number.
Isn’t that a great way to access medical records? Let’s check out what all this digital ID has!
How does a digital health ID card works?
With support from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the National Digital Health Mission will oversee the management of all digital records via an online portal. Consent is required to allow NDHM to maintain your medical records in digital format. So here is how a digital health ID card works,
- Digital Records
All the details of a person, may it be a diagnosis, treatment, or surgery, will be recorded and kept in an online portal and can be accessed through the mobile app.
- Unique ID
With the help of a 14-digit unique ID all the records of a person can be accessed by hospitals and healthcare professionals.
- Digital Signatures
All doctors can register and digitally sign on their patient’s reports and prescriptions.
- Delete/Deactivate
Users can delete or deactivate their accounts anytime they wish.
- Security
All the medical records of users are safe, secured, and easily accessible.
Benefits of Digital Health ID Card
There are countless benefits of this Health ID card along with safety, security, and ease of access.
- Customer Consent
All the data is recorded and stored after approval from the user. If the user wants to alter or revoke the data at a later stage, they can do so through the app.
- Child Health ID
Now users can make a health ID even for a newborn child, which ensures all his/her medical records and data stored since birth.
- Add a nominee
Users can assign their account access to anyone they wish. The assigned nominee can modify and update the user's medical records anytime.
- No smartphone no problem
Users need not necessarily have a smartphone to access their benefits. They can also do so through their old feature phones as well (with some assistance methods).
Also read : Mediclaim Policy - Saving your life and your life saving
How to apply for a Digital Health ID card
One can apply through a web browser from their computer or laptop or can download the mobile app and apply.
From Website
From Mobile App
The purpose for setting up Digital Health Card
Let’s take my example, when I went to Delhi for a family vacation, unfortunately, my dad had to get admitted to hospital due to health complications. And the hospital wanted my dad’s previous reports and prescriptions related to diabetes. Now, this was near impossible for us to go back (to hometown) and get them the reports, therefore doctors interrogated dad and did the guesswork for the treatment. Now with the advantage of digital health ID cards, doctors don’t need to do the guesswork, and patients need not worry about previous health reports and carry them everywhere.
So basically, this solves two problems:
Problem of Patients
Maintaining and carrying over their health records every time to the hospital.
Problem of Health Professionals
Keeping chunks of files of patient’s previous records and chances of missing files and human error.
More than 1.4 million people have registered for a Health ID in India. If you haven’t till now, what are you waiting for? Register Here
There is no fee for registration.
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