Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, launched by PM- Health IDs for everyone

The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday. People will be given a unique digital health ID that will contain all of their health records under this programme.

On August 15, 2020, the prime minister introduced the National Digital Health Mission's pilot project from the Red Fort's ramparts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, lauding the digital initiatives in the country, said, “Today is a very important day. The drive to strengthen the health facilities of the country, in the last 7 years, is entering a new phase today. This is not an ordinary phase. This is an extraordinary phase”.

Currently, six Union Territories are participating in the project's experimental phase. The project's national launch coincides with the National Health Authority's (NHA) third anniversary of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), according to the announcement.

As per the press statement from the PMO, the mission will enable access and exchange of longitudinal health information with their consent.

Based on the foundations laid down by the government's Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, and Mobile (JAM) trinity and other digital initiatives, the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission will create a seamless online platform by providing a wide range of data, information, and infrastructure services while leveraging open, interoperable, standards-based digital systems, and also ensuring the security, confidentiality and privacy of health-related personal information.

The health ID for each citizen will also serve as their health account, to which personal health records can be linked and viewed using a mobile application, as well as a Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR) and Healthcare Facilities Registries (HFR) that will serve as a repository for all healthcare providers across both modern and traditional systems.

The Health ID is a randomly generated 14 digit number used to uniquely identify persons. Self-registration via the Health ID online site or the ABDM Health Records app from the Google Playstore are both options for obtaining a Health ID. You can also apply for a Health ID at a partner health facility, which includes public and private hospitals, community health centres, and health and wellness centres throughout India. For Health ID creation through Mobile Number- Name, Year of Birth, Gender, Address, Mobile Number, are required while for Health ID creation through Aadhaar- Name, Year of Birth, Gender, Address, Mobile Number, Aadhaar Number, are required. It is also to be noted, the process of generation of Health ID involves voluntary usage of Aadhaar.

As per the statement, this aims to make it easier for physicians, hospitals, and healthcare service companies to conduct business.

An Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission Sandbox will be created as a part of the Mission. The Sandbox will serve as a framework for technology and product testing, assisting organisations, including private players, that want to join the National Digital Health Ecosystem as a Health Information Provider or Health Information User, or efficiently connect with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission's building blocks.

Citizens will just be a click away from accessing healthcare facilities, according to the PMO. This mission will establish interoperability within the digital health ecosystem, comparable to the role performed by the Unified Payments Interface in revolutionizing payments.