Key Components Of ABHA- Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission

on
July 21, 2023

The government has taken various initiatives to tilt the Indian ecosystem towards digitisation. While the fintech sector has already seen tremendous improvements in terms of digitisation, it is now time to take the entire Indian healthcare sector digital. With a goal of providing seamless and secure healthcare storage, maintenance, and sharing facility to Indian citizens, the government launched the ABHA card initiative on 27th September, 2021.

It is a distinct healthcare initiative that will make it easier for everyone to access quality and timely healthcare services. Many people, especially from rural regions, faced difficulty getting the best treatment because they could not share their medical history accurately. Maintaining and sharing all previous healthcare documents was also a hassle for many. But with the ABHA initiative, all these problems will get solved. If you haven’t heard much about this scheme and want to learn more about it, read until the end.

What is ABHA Card?

Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) is designed to help people digitally record and share their healthcare records. You can view this card as a unique health ID that will enable you to instantly share your previous medical history with your current healthcare provider. The ABHA number is 14-digit and is unique to every cardholder. You can use it anywhere in India to share your healthcare records with consent and find verified healthcare professionals and facilities to get treated in. Since it is a government-launched initiative, you can be confident that your healthcare data will remain secure.

The best part about this health ID is it’s free for all citizens. If you want to save, access, and share your healthcare records without the trouble of maintaining physical documents, ABHA is for you. The card lets users give temporary, permanent, and time-bound consent to maintain complete authority over their data. You can also opt-in and opt-out based on your preference. Although having an ABHA ID card is incredibly beneficial, the government hasn’t made it mandatory to register for one.

ABHA stands strong based on a few robust building blocks. If you want to learn everything about this scheme, explore the key components of ABHA shared below.

ABHA Number

Your ABHA number is uniquely assigned and is a hassle-free method of accessing and sharing healthcare records. This 14-digit unique identification number can be used to seamlessly share your medical history and other relevant documents with your healthcare providers, like doctors, clinics, hospitals, etc. If you give consent and link your real-time healthcare records with the number, you will no longer have to worry about maintaining numerous healthcare documents. The ABHA health card is easy to get and is free for every Indian citizen.

Unique Health ID

You will get a uniquely created health ID assigned on successful registration online. This ID can be used to digitally share all your healthcare records, like past prescriptions, diagnostic test reports, hospital records, etc. Call it the unique health ID or ABHA number; they are the same.

Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR)

The best part about registering for an ABHA ID card is the option to access vast data of verified healthcare professionals. This registry can be viewed as a massive directory that lists contact details, areas of specialisation, years of experience, and other relevant details of numerous healthcare professionals offering traditional and modern healthcare services.

Whether you are looking for a reliable cardiologist or an Ayurveda doctor, you will find them on this registry. If you are travelling to a new city and aren’t aware of any good doctor specialising in bone health, heart health, skin, etc., you can use the HPR to find reliable contacts.

Health Facility Registry

The Health Facility Registry (HFR) is similar to HPR, but the only difference is that this registry lists all verified healthcare facilities operating in India. Using the health facility registry, you can find a huge list of private and public health facilities like clinics, diagnostic laboratories, hospitals, pharmacies, imaging centres, and more. This registry can save much of your time and help you quickly reach the right healthcare facility to proceed with the recommended course of treatment.

ABHA Mobile App

The ABHA mobile app, or PHR, is a digital record of an individual’s healthcare information. The app was designed keeping the nationally recognised interoperability standards in mind. While some may confuse this app with an EHR and EMR, there is a difference between them. ABHA app lets users exercise complete control over their healthcare data, which isn’t the case with EHR and EMR. The data stored in the ABHA app can be drawn from numerous sources, but the management, sharing access, and control will always lie with the cardholder.

In addition to these building blocks, ABHA has a more key components called the Unified Health Interface (UHI). It is an open protocol for numerous digital health services. This protocol is open for EUAs and participating HSP or healthcare service provider applications. UHI enables smooth and seamless digital health services between HSPs and patients, including service discovery, appointment booking, teleconsultation, and more.

Key Takeaways

Now that you are aware of all the essential details about the ABHA card, you can register for it without any worry. This unique health ID aims to revolutionise the healthcare system and the way people access healthcare services. ABHA is secure, free, and highly reliable. If you want to easily get rid of the hassle of manually storing, carrying, maintaining, and sharing your healthcare records, you should sign-up for the ABHA account. This secure and unique health ID works everywhere in India, so you can get it and enjoy its benefits.

FAQs

What is ABHA Card?

Call it the Ayushman Bharat Health Account or ABHA card; this unique digital ID is created to enhance the process of accessing healthcare services. Using this distinct 14-digit ID, people can digitally share their full medical history with the present healthcare provider. You can also use this health account to access the verified list of healthcare professionals and healthcare facilities present across the country.

What is the Benefit of the ABHA Card?

Having an ABHA card can help you in numerous ways. The first benefit of the ABHA card is the ease of storing, maintaining, and sharing healthcare records in a secure environment. The second benefit is getting access to a vast library of verified healthcare professionals and healthcare facilities operating throughout India. ABHA card is free for all Indian citizens and makes it easier to pursue the right treatment with minimal effort.

How to Get ABHA Card?

You can get the ABHA card online by visiting the official government website (https://abdm.gov.in/) and issuing the ABHA numbers. You must have an Aadhar card or driving license to get your ABHA card. ABHA card registrations using an Aadhar card are instant, so try to use your Aadhar number while signing up. If you use your driving license to verify your identity, you may have to visit a government-approved centre for verification purposes. After the verification, you will get your ABHA card number.

Who is Eligible for ABHA Card?

Any Indian citizen can register for an ABHA card. This unique health ID is free for every Indian citizen so that anyone can get an ABHA card for themselves. You can get your ABHA card by registering on the government website (https://abdm.gov.in/). The entire process is easy and just takes a few minutes.