India is well on its way to becoming a digital healthcare ecosystem. Despite the challenges involved, the government of India has the ability to innovate at scale and effectively reach a vast population. The early release of COVID-19 pandemic apps demonstrated this capacity and formed the digital backbone for massive containment. The lessons learned have strengthened the government’s ongoing efforts to digitally transform healthcare in India. Today, we will explore the potential of the government’s efforts to improve health outcomes in India.

NDHM for digital health mission

The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) is a government agency that is creating the backbone for integrated digital health infrastructure in India. This digital health initiative was launched to improve patient care, lower healthcare costs, and improve quality of life. While there are many challenges associated with this program, it is clear that a lot of people have an interest in participating. Here are some ways that you can help the Mission succeed.

The NDHM builds on existing laws and principles and is built within a framework of fundamental rights and legislation. The National Digital Health Blueprint provides a strategic foundation for the project and ensures security by design. It also ensures that the building blocks handling personal health records will be compliant with existing laws. The NDHM roadmap will help determine which building blocks can be implemented with minimal cost and with minimal disruption to the healthcare system.

Unified Health Interface (UHI)

In his Independence Day speech last year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM), a digital platform that will allow for easy access to personal health records. As part of the program, every citizen will receive a Health ID card, which will record all doctor and pharmacy visits. It will include everything from the doctor’s visit to the medication a person took.

Technology for better access

The rapid expansion of mobile telephony and the corresponding rise in smartphone usage has increased the need to expand the use of digital health and IoT tools. These new tools are likely to change the way in which healthcare providers interact with patients. This means that trust must be built between healthcare professionals and patients over remote interactions. India will have to invest in its health IT infrastructure and the latest network technology

Telemedicine

Telemedicine has a big potential for improving access to health care in rural areas. It can help doctors identify diseases more accurately and reduce doctor administrative burdens. It can also help develop personalized medicines for individual patients. This technology is fast gaining traction in India.  Telemedicine in India is part of the Digital India mission, which aims to help solve healthcare issues. It supports the government’s make-in-India (Make-in India) mission and Ayushman Bharat program.

Digital therapeutics and diagnostics

While the National Digital Health Blueprint is no magic wand for immediate relief, it can pave the way for a robust ecosystem and regulatory framework to support the growing use of digital therapeutics and diagnostics in India. As the nation looks to meet its ambitious Sustainable Development Goals, this initiative will help to meet these challenges and leapfrog decades of failed health system initiatives. This blueprint can help build a more effective healthcare system and address the problems of inequity and poor access to quality healthcare services.

Conclusion

In addition to the ABDM guidelines, Eka Care is developing a patient health record (PHR) app and is working on ABDM guidelines to allow consent-based sharing of patient data with healthcare providers. The company is focused on building a connected healthcare ecosystem for India.

The team at Eka Care is making healthcare accessible for everyone by connecting physicians to patients online. The company has built a digital clinic management tool to help doctors and patients manage their health records. The company also intends to expand into new cities and create a global network of doctors and clinics. In addition, the company’s software also allows doctors and patients to create a personalized health profile, storing important information on their health and development. It also helps them link their health accounts with ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) programs.