To make healthcare more accessible, digitise patient data and unify processes, the government of India made the announcement that the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) will be established. Under the NDHM, every individual in India would be given their own unique health ID NDHM card. Following the success of Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY, it was anticipated that the new mission would further change the healthcare system across the nation and make it much easier for the average citizen to obtain quality medical treatment. In addition to this, it is anticipated that the NDHM will assist in identifying and preventing fraudulent healthcare practitioners.
The National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) is an initiative that aims to strengthen India's existing digital health ecosystem in order to better serve the country's population. To put the foundational components in place, the NDHM uses the robust public digital infrastructure, namely that which is associated with Aadhaar, the Unified Payments Interface, and the extensive reach of the Internet and mobile phones.
Similarly, health care practitioners from all fields will have improved access to a patient's medical history (with the proper consent), which will allow them to prescribe health interventions that are more suitable and effective. A more effective continuum of care will also be made possible by the connected ecosystem. The NDHM will contribute to the digitisation of the claims procedure and the expediting of the receipt of payment. Because of this, the simplicity with which health care practitioners may deliver their services to patients will be significantly improved.
At the same time, those responsible for developing policies and managing programmes will have improved access to data, which will allow the government to make decisions that are more informed and for the betterment of the citizens. A better quality of data at both the macro and micro levels will allow for more advanced analytics, the utilisation of health biomarkers, and improved preventative healthcare.
In addition to this, it will enable monitoring based on geography and demographics as well as suitable decision making. It will ensure the formulation of policies that are more effective and will boost the execution of programmes and policies that are already in place.
Lastly, the availability of such aggregated information will be of tremendous use to researchers, as it will allow them to analyse and assess the efficacy of a variety of programmes and treatments, which will be of huge value to the research community. The NDHM would make it easier for researchers, authorities, and service providers to participate in a thorough feedback loop.
With NDHM, patients will now have complete access to the following things as a result of the mechanisms that are now in place:
The aforementioned problems are going to be solved by NDHM. Every single individual will have the option to generate their own health ID on their own time. Personal Health Record (PHR) is an application that allows citizens to safely keep personal medical documents and have access to those records when necessary through their health ID. After receiving the required consent, a person can share their medical records with health care professionals.
This helps to guarantee that appropriate and effective diagnosis and treatment are received. In addition, the National Digital Health Registry (NDHM) will make it possible for citizens to access information that has been independently verified by the medical professionals and facilities that provide healthcare. At the same time, citizens will be able to use various services provided by third parties, which will be constructed on top of the digital health infrastructure that NDHM will develop.
Currently, it is to gain access to high-quality medical treatment in rural regions due to the limited number of medical facilities and the absence of independently verified information regarding healthcare providers. The NDHM aims to solve this problem by making telemedicine and tele-consultation widely available.
Access to information that has been validated will be much improved if NDHM is fully implemented. Citizens will have access to information on healthcare facilities, including their location, the medical specialities handled there, the services offered, the hours they are open, and more. Citizens will have the ability to view healthcare experts whose credentials have been confirmed through the use of the Digi-doctor repository. This will be of tremendous assistance in weeding out healthcare practitioners who have fabricated their qualifications.
Technology has connected people and places all over the world in ways that were previously unimaginable. By incorporating the fundamental components of NDHM, the health care system will become better linked and more effective. The NDHM has the potential to play a significant part in the management of pandemics. Policymakers are able to evaluate the geographical disease burden and follow the transmission of an illness by using data that has been aggregated and anonymised.
This has the potential to be of tremendous assistance in preparing governments for the swift mobilisation of resources. In addition, governments are able to rapidly educate and train medical professionals on pandemics because of the many digital registries that are already available.
Access to verified and up-to-date information on the operational state of healthcare providers enables individuals to improve the choices they make regarding their health care providers. At the same time, the ecosystem will profit from the supply of a variety of cutting-edge third-party services that may be constructed on top of NDHM. People who are unable to leave their homes or do not want to do so would be able to receive medical treatment through telemedicine and online pharmacies. These services have the potential to significantly contribute to the development of a more efficient response to a pandemic.
Visit the official website at https://healthid.ndhm.gov.in/. Then click the "Create Your ABHA Now" button. If you already have an id, click login; otherwise, select the appropriate option. You have two options: create using Aadhar or generate via Drivers license. If you are producing ABHA using DL, you will be prompted for your cell phone number. Check the OTP given to your cell phone. A registration form will appear, into which you must input all of the essential information, such as date of birth, address, photo, and so on. After entering the necessary information, click the submit button. It will generate your Ayushman Digital Health Card. It is suggested to download your card by clicking on the Download button.
2. Is it compulsory to get an NDHM card?
No, the government of India has not made it compulsory to get an NDHM card, and the service remains voluntary. However, getting an NDHM card is encouraged as it not only has several benefits for the patients but also assists the government in keeping track of patient medical data and preventing malpractice.
3. Are NDHM and ABHA cards the same?
Yes, NDHM and ABHA cards are the same. They are also known as digital health ID cards.
4. What are the documents needed for an NDHM card?
There are no documents that need to be physically submitted while enrolling for an NDHM card as the process is virtual and paperless. However, the online registration does ask for Aadhar or driving license details while signing up.