Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)

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6-Oct-2022: Quick OPD registrations now possible under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission

The National Health Authority (NHA) under its flagship scheme Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) is undertaking a pilot for faster OPD registration service at the new OPD block of Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) & Smt. Sucheta Kriplani Hospital (SSKH) in New Delhi. This service allows old as well as new patients to simply scan a QR Code and share their demographic details like name, father name, age, gender, address, mobile number etc. with the hospital. This helps to reduce the time taken at the OPD registration counter, provides accurate data in the hospital record and, most importantly, avoid the wait in the long queues. The service is planned to be extended to other health facilities and departments soon.

The QR Code based OPD registration service allows the patients to scan the hospital’s unique QR Code with their mobile phone (using phone camera/scanner/ABHA App/Arogya Setu App/or any other ABDM enabled App) and share their profile details with the hospital. Once the profile is shared, the hospital provides a token number (queue number). The token generated is sent as a notification to the patient’s selected app and is also displayed on the screens placed at the OPD registration counters for the ease of patients. As per their token number, the patient can go to the registration counter and directly collect their outpatient slip (OP Slip) for doctor consultation as their details are already present at the registration counter.

Talking about the benefits of this service, Dr. R.S. Sharma, CEO, NHA said – “Under the ABDM, we’re using technology to simplify processes and make healthcare more efficient. The QR Code based rapid OPD registration service is a step in this direction. It helped over 2200 patients avoid the hustle of long queues with considerably reduced waiting time and minimal time at the registration counter within 15 days of this pilot in LHMC & SSKH. The direct profile sharing has also helped achieve higher level of accuracy in patient records. Our team is working with other health facilities and departments to extend this service and help more patients.”

The ABDM team worked closely with the team of LHMC/ SSKH to set-up the QR Code based faster registration service for their OPD block. Appropriate messaging and kiosk were put up to significantly reduce the waiting time for patients. Further, to assist the patients, support personnel were also posted to help them understand the steps and benefits of using this service. The team also helped the patients create their Ayushman Bharat Health Account or ABHA numbers that shall help them in digitizing their health records. These services will now be extended to more health facilities like hospitals, clinics, diagnostic labs etc. to help the patients save time and efforts.

2-Aug-2022: Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) making steady progress in digitizing and linking health records of citizens with their ABHA numbers

The National Health Authority (NHA) under its flagship scheme Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) is building a comprehensive digital health ecosystem for the country. Since nationwide launch in September 2021, ABDM has achieved significant growth with over 23 crore ABHA numbers (earlier known as Health ID), 1.14 Lakh health facilities registered in the Health Facility Registry (HFR), 33 thousand healthcare professionals under the Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR), 6.6 lakh ABHA app downloads and 3.4 Lakh health records linked to ABHA of individuals.

With more individuals, healthcare professionals like doctors, nurses, paramedics and health facilities like hospitals, nursing homes, wellness centres, clinics, diagnostic labs, pharmacies joining ABDM, digitization of health records at their point of creation is now possible. For digitization of old health records, individuals can use the ABHA app or any other personal health record (PHR) app to scan and save their records. By linking these digital records to their ABHA, individuals will be able to connect with professionals and facilities digitally and get quality and affordable health services irrespective of geographic distance.

Acknowledging the cooperation and active involvement of the respective States & UTs in taking the mission forward and improving access and affordability of healthcare services, NHA will recognize the top performing states/ UTs, districts and health facilities (public as well as private) for their contribution under ABDM. The States/ UTs, districts and health facilities contributing the most in a 50-day period from 01.08.2022 to 19.09.2022 would be recognized during the first anniversary of the scheme under 4 categories as follows:

  • Category A: States/UTs with highest number of health records linked to ABHA(s) in the state/UT from 01.08.2022 to 19.09.2022 per one lakh population.
  • Category B:  Districts with highest number of health records linked to ABHA(s) in the district from 01.08.2022 to 19.09.2022 per one lakh population.
  • Category C:  States/UTs achieving highest percentage saturation in population of HFR and HPR registries in private and public Sector by 19.09.2022.
  • Category D:  Facilities from government and private sector with highest number of health records linked to ABHA(s) in 50-day period from 01.08.2022 to 19.09.2022.

In addition to the above categories, NHA will recognize top performing ABDM integrators (digital health solutions integrated with the scheme) on the basis of number of health records linked to ABHA numbers within 50 days period from 01.08.2022 to 19.09.2022. The top performing integrators from government and public sector shall be recognized in separate categories.

28-Jul-2022: More than 50 digital health services/ applications integrated with Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)

The National Health Authority (NHA) announced expansion of the digital health ecosystem being built under its flagship scheme Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) with successful integrations of 52 digital health applications. In the last two months, additional 12 health service applications completed their integration across various milestones in the ABDM sandbox environment. After a successful demonstration, these applications were added to the ABDM Partners ecosystem. The tally now includes 20 government applications and 32 private sector applications.

On the significance of this milestone, Dr. R. S. Sharma, CEO, NHA said – “The ABDM integrators are our crucial partners in this journey of taking the benefits of digital healthcare delivery to the masses. As more and more existing health applications join the ecosystem, the scope for innovation increases and the system evolves much faster. This integration signifies how the public and private sectors can come together and collaborate to strengthen a digital health ecosystem for the country. We’re looking forward to partnering with more start-ups and health tech innovators.”

Following are the 12 new applications added to ABDM Partners ecosystem after 11th May 2022 (listed category-wise, alphabetically):

  • HMIS (Hospital Management Information System) for Central Government Hospital Scheme (CGHS) and Hospital Management System by NICE-HMS
  • Health Tech solutions like Equal app by Infinity Identity Technologies Pvt Ltd, IHX Claim Management Platform by IHX, Karkinos Application Suite by Karkinos Healthcare Private Limited, Meraadhikar app by Fingoole Technologies Pvt Ltd, nPe Bills & Services app by NICT, Paperplane WhatsApp Clinic by Paperplane Communications Pvt Ltd and HISP-EMR by Society for Health Information System Program (HISP India)
  • Other prominent government solutions like Anmol Application of the National Health Mission by NIC, eSanjeevani AB-HWC by C-DAC Mohali and UKTelemedicine Service for Uttarakhand Government by Dhanush Infotech Pvt Ltd

NOTE: Some products may have features of more than one category of digital health solutions.

As many as 919 health tech innovators are participants in the ABDM Sandbox. Since the nationwide launch of ABDM on 27th September 2021, popular health applications from both public as well as private section have shown enthusiastic participation in the ecosystem. By completing their ABDM integration across three levels, 52 out of these 919 innovators are connecting more users to India’s digital health ecosystem. This collaborative approach towards digitization of healthcare delivery will help India achieve its goal of healthcare for all in the most effective, efficient and affordable manner.

The remaining 40 health tech applications that had completed their ABDM integration before 11th May 2022 are as below (listed category-wise, alphabetically):

  • HMIS systems like Amrit by Piramal Swasthya Management and Research Institute, Athma by Narayana Health Limited, Bahmni by Thoughtworks Technologies, Bajaj Finserv Health for Doctors, Bajaj Finserv Health App by Bajaj Finserve Health Limited, DocOn by DocOn Technologies, DrucareOne by Drucare Pvt Ltd, e-Hospital by NIC, e-Sushrut by Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) Noida, EkaCare by Orbi Health, MediXcel by Plus91 Technologies Private Limited and Medmantra by Apollo Hospitals,
  • LMIS systems like Centralised Laboratory Information Management Systems (CLIMS) by SRL Limited, CrelioHealth by Crelio Health Software and Patient Registration Application by Dr Lal Pathlabs Ltd,
  • Personal Health Records (PHR) apps like Aarogya Setu by National Informatics Centre (NIC), DigiLocker by National e-Governance Division, DocPrime by DocPrime Technologies and DRiefcase by Driefcase Healthtech Pvt Ltd,
  • Health Tech solutions like ALA CARE by Alafied Solutions Private Limited, Curelink by Curelink Private Limited, Doxper by InformDS Technologies Private Limited, Indian Joint Registry (IJR) by NEC Software Solutions India, JioHealthHub by Reliance Digital Health Limited, MarSha Health Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) by MarSha Healthcare, MEDPlat by ArguSoft India Ltd, Paytm by One97 Communications Limited, Practo by Practo Technologies, Pristyn Care by GHV Advanced Care Private Limited, Raxa by Raxa Health Information Services Private Limited and Verraton Health by Verraton Health Pvt. Ltd,
  • and Other health tech solutions developed by Central and State Governments like ANM AP HEALTH app for Andhra Pradesh Medical Staff and EHR by Andhra Pradesh Health and Family Welfare Department, CoWIN by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), CPHC-NCD Software by National Institute of Health & Family Welfare (NIHFW), e-Aarogya by Health Department DNH & DD, e-SanjeevaniOPD by C-DAC Mohali, Integrated Health Management System by West Bengal Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), National Viral Hepatitis Control Program (NVHCP), Nikshay by Central TB Division, Reproductive & Child Health (RCH) Portal and Anmol application of National Health Mission (NHM) by NIC and Transaction Management System (TMS) and Beneficiary Identification System (BIS) of Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) by National Health Authority (NHA)

The ABDM integrations are achieved through ABDM Sandbox (a digital space for experimentation created for testing of integration processes before the digital health product is made live for the actual use). Any digital health service provider/ developer can register on the ABDM Sandbox by following a pre-defined process of integrating and validating their software systems with the ABDM APIs. Currently, 919 public and private sector integrators have enrolled under ABDM Sandbox for integrating and validating their software solutions under the scheme. More information on the ABDM Sandbox is available here: https://sandbox.abdm.gov.in/. The complete list of ABDM partners is available here: https://sandbox.abdm.gov.in/applications/Integrators.

26-Jul-2022: A total of 22,97,64,327 ABHA numbers have been created till 15th July 2022

Government of India launched Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) with an aim to establish National Digital Health ecosystem by creating an online platform, enabling interoperability of health data so as to create longitudinal electronic health record (EHR) of citizens.

Three key registries of ABDM namely ABHA number/Health ID, Health Professional Registry (HPR), Health Facility Registry (HFR) and digital infrastructure for data exchange is created to enable data interoperability across digital health platforms. Creation of ABHA number is voluntary. Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) can be generated for citizens of all age-groups, post a KYC verification.

The ABHA Number generated is permanently assigned to the person as its Unique ID. Till 15thJuly 2022, a total of 22,97,64,327 ABHA numbers have been created. ABHA number can be populated across existing digital health interventions to create longitudinal EHR of the citizen.

Inclusion is one of the core design principles for all ABDM building blocks. For citizens who require assistance for creation of ABHAs, assisted modes have been rolled out. Further, offline ABHA generation module has been rolled out in rural areas wherein interconnectivity is limited or not available.

25-Jun-2022: National Health Authority to host Hackathon Series under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)

The National Health Authority (NHA) will be hosting its first ever open-to-all hackathon series to drive ideation and innovations around the different building blocks in the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) ecosystem. The series will begin with a hackathon - ‘Round 1: Kickstarting Unified Health Interface (UHI)’ slated for 14th to 17th July 2022. The hackathon shall be focussed on the Unified Health Interface (UHI) and would aim at mobilising the health start-up ecosystem in India and bringing together individuals and organisations to develop solutions through UHI.

The hackathon will provide an excellent opportunity for innovators, data experts and developers from all over the world to collaborate and build innovative solutions for providing access to digital health services through UHI.

UHI is designed as an open network to enable the interoperable transaction of digital health services such as teleconsultation. Through UHI, patients can discover, book, conduct and pay for services offered by a variety of participating providers from any application of their choosing. This stands in contrast to the current mode of digital health service delivery, where patients and doctors must transact using a common application or platform.

Announcing the Hackathon Series, Dr. R.S. Sharma, CEO, NHA said “India has enabled creation of some of the most efficient public delivery systems in the world, as has been witnessed through JAM and UPI, by breaking silos and unlocking network effects. ABDM and UHI will enable the same for the healthcare ecosystem and this Hackathon Series will enable players to collaborate and build solutions which define the future of healthcare.  All are invited to participate in creating a better health ecosystem for every Indian”

‘ABDM Hackathon Series - Round 1: Kickstarting UHI’ will focus on two major themes:

  • Innovation Track: Challenge for innovative solutions to power digital health in an open network around various use cases such as teleconsultation, ambulance booking, lab tests, physical consultation booking, lab tests booking.
  • Integration Track: Challenge to accelerate development of applications that are compatible with UHI and integrate these applications with the applications of other such participants to enable digital health transactions on the UHI network.

The tentative prize pool for ‘Round 1 – Kickstarting UHI’ is Rs. 60,00,000*. This shall be awarded to the top performers on each challenge track on the above-mentioned themes. The solutions shall be assessed by an independent jury. Interested participants are requested to register here https://abdm.gov.in/register

*The prizes are tentative; the jury might decide to award fewer or more prizes.

Further, as part of the UHI hackathon, NHA shall be organising masterclasses to further the participants' understanding of the ABDM ecosystem. The details about upcoming masterclasses, challenge statements, prizes under each category and other updates shall be posted on ABDM website - https://abdm.gov.in and UHI portal - https://uhi.abdm.gov.in.

The first round of ABDM Hackathon Series will be followed by a Health Claims Exchange (HCX) Hackathon; the details will be shared on the ABDM and UHI website.

For further details on UHI, the full text of the UHI Consultation Paper, as well as the recording of the UHI Public Webinar may be referred to. They are available for download on the ABDM website at https://abdm.gov.in/publications

13-Jun-2022: National Health Authority (NHA) organised a conclave on Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) – Revolutionizing Digital Health in association with NASSCOM

The National Health Authority (NHA) and NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Service Companies) jointly organized the NHA-NASSCOM Conclave 2022 on Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission – Revolutionizing Digital Health. The Conclave was held in Bengaluru today as a hybrid event with participation of over 400 stakeholders and industry veterans from the healthcare & technology sector as well as investor community in India in physical/ virtual mode.

The chief guest for the event, Hon’ble Minister of Health & Family Welfare, and Medical Education, Govt. of Karnataka - Dr. K. Sudhakar said - “Ayushman Bharat or long life for all Indians can be ensured when quality healthcare can be provided to one and all. This is possible by providing not just the infrastructure but also the technology platform that ABDM envisages to build. This platform will help gradually move the health system from one focused on promotive and preventive health, to one that will also focus on predictive health.”

Sharing his thoughts on Karnataka’s Vision on Digital Health, Dr. Sudhakar added – “During our fight against COVID-19 pandemic, we saw the importance of digital services for healthcare delivery. The impact that teleconsultation, online appointment bookings, readily available health information and access to specialists had on people was unprecedented. We’re positive that the ABDM platform will help us scale the efforts and create a conductive environment with enthusiastic public and private sector participation. We look forward to take up implementation of ABDM in mission mode and give it speed, scalability and support that we can provide at state-level to achieve the ultimate aim of healthcare for all.”

Speaking on the vision behind the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), Dr. R.S. Sharma, CEO, NHA said – “India is standing at the forefront of digital revolution. The world has seen the success story of our country with the largest digital identity program, record adoption of digital payments and more recently, national vaccination program via CoWIN platform. The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission aims to replicate this success in healthcare delivery by building an equitable, accessible and inclusive ecosystem that rides on collaborative efforts of the government and private sector”.

The conclave also saw a special address by Shri Jawaid Akhtar, Additional Chief Secretary to Govt. of Karnataka, Health & Family Welfare Services on the importance of improving healthcare through digital innovations. Dr. Praveen Gedam, Additional CEO, NHA and Mission Director for ABDM elaborated on the opportunities this program presents for the entire ecosystem.

NASSCOM played a key role in gathering thought leaders from the health & technology sector for panel discussions on how to drive usage of digital health and the role of innovators in digital health stack. The panelists included heads of health tech organizations in India (in no particular order) like Arthur D. Little India, Manipal Hospitals, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Royal Philips, Indegene, Quadria Capital, Medi Assist, Tata Elxsi, Narayana Health, DRiefcase, CrelioHealth, Plus91 and EkaCare.

Dedicated sessions were also held on the opportunities under ABDM for the healthcare ecosystem and Unified Health Interface (UHI) & Health Claims Exchange (HCX) as accelerators for digital health. Besides the sessions and panel discussions, health tech innovators Artivatic, Ala Care and Raxa Health also set-up innovation booths at the event venue. The thought leaders concluded the NHA-NASSCOM Conclave 2022 with an exciting brainstorming session on ways to increase the adoption of teleconsultation in India.

5-Apr-2022: Update on Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission

The National Digital Health Mission (now known as Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission-ABDM) was launched as a pilot on 15th August 2020 in six Union Territories– Andaman & Nicobar, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Ladakh, Lakshadweep and Puducherry. Its aim is to establish a National Digital Health Ecosystem by creating an online platform enabling interoperability of health data within the health ecosystem to create longitudinal electronic health record of citizens & facilitate delivery of health services through this Digital Health Ecosystem.

Three key registries of NDHM namely Health ID, Health Professional Registry (HPR), Health Facility Registry (HFR) and digital infrastructure for data exchange have been developed and implemented in these UTs. On 27th September 2021, the national rollout of the ABDM has been announced. As on date, Rs 45 Cr has been released to National Health Authority (NHA) for implementation of ABDM.

Till 28th March 2022, a total of 20,97,55,222 Health IDs (ABHA Number) have been created in the country.

As implementing agency, National Health Authority (NHA) has initiated awareness campaigns in healthcare facilities through IEC materials. As part of outreach activities, multiple SMS campaigns have been launched and webinars with doctors have been organized to raise awareness and increase participation in ABDM.

26-Feb-2022: Cabinet approves implementation of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission with a budget of Rs.1,600 crore for five years

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the national roll-out of Central Sector Scheme, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, with a budget of Rs.1,600 crore for five years. The National Health Authority (NHA) will be the implementing agency of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).

Digital health solutions across healthcare ecosystem have proven to be of immense benefit over the years, with CoWIN, Arogya Setu and eSanjeevani further demonstrating the role technology can play in enabling access to healthcare. However, there is a need to integrate such solutions for continuum of care, and effective utilization of resources.

Based on the foundations laid down in the form of Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and Mobile (JAM) trinity and other digital initiatives of the government, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) is creating a seamless online platform through the provision of a wide-range of data, information and infrastructure services, duly leveraging open, interoperable, standards-based digital systems while ensuring the security, confidentiality and privacy of health-related personal information.

Under the ABDM, citizens will be able to create their ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) numbers, to which their digital health records can be linked. This will enable creation of longitudinal health records for individuals across various healthcare providers, and improve clinical decision making by healthcare providers. The mission will improve equitable access to quality healthcare by encouraging use of technologies such as telemedicine and enabling national portability of health services.

The pilot of ABDM was completed in the six Union Territories of Ladakh, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep with successful demonstration of technology platform developed by the NHA. During the pilot, digital sandbox was created in which more than 774 partner solutions are undergoing integration. As on 24th February 2022, 17,33,69,087 Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts have been created and 10,114 doctors and 17,319 health facilities have been registered in ABDM.

Not only will ABDM facilitate evidence-based decision making for effective public health interventions, but it will also catalyse innovation and generate employment across the healthcare ecosystem.

4-Feb-2022: More than 15 Crore National Digital Health IDs created under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission

The National Digital Health Mission (now known as Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission) was launched on 15th August 2020 as a pilot in six Union Territories - Andaman & Nicobar, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Ladakh, Lakshadweep and Puducherry.

The pilot phase of ABDM was successfully conducted between 15th August 2020 to 27th  September 2021.Three key registries of NDHM namely Health ID, Health Professional Registry (HPR), Health Facility Registry (HFR) and digital infrastructure for data exchange have been developed and implemented in these UTs. On 27th September 2021, the national rollout of the ABDM has been announced.

Till 25th January 2022, 15,05,92,811 Health IDs (now known as ABHA – Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts) have been created in the country. A total of 15,016 health facilities and 8,378 doctors have been registered under ABDM ecosystem.    

Creation of Health ID is voluntary. National Health Authority is creating awareness among the citizens about the usages and advantages of Health ID to maximize participation from citizen.                  

ABHA numbers (earlier known as Health IDs) have been created for those beneficiaries enrolled through CoWIN platform who have provided Aadhaar as the ID proof at the vaccination site only after taking their consent through the vaccinator.

The Information Technology Act 2000 along with policies and guidelines including but not limited to Health Data Management Policy, Sandbox Guidelines etc. published by ABDM from time to time lay down the regulatory and policy framework for the regulation of ABDM.

Besides a part of the funds available at the level of hospitals, Union Health Ministry is also supporting States and UTs in implementation and strengthening of health IT initiatives such as Hospital Management Information Systems, Telemedicine services etc. in public health facilities through National Health Mission.

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6-Oct-2022: Quick OPD registrations now possible under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission

The National Health Authority (NHA) under its flagship scheme Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) is undertaking a pilot for faster OPD registration service at the new OPD block of Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) & Smt. Sucheta Kriplani Hospital (SSKH) in New Delhi. This service allows old as well as new patients to simply scan a QR Code and share their demographic details like name, father name, age, gender, address, mobile number etc. with the hospital. This helps to reduce the time taken at the OPD registration counter, provides accurate data in the hospital record and, most importantly, avoid the wait in the long queues. The service is planned to be extended to other health facilities and departments soon.

The QR Code based OPD registration service allows the patients to scan the hospital’s unique QR Code with their mobile phone (using phone camera/scanner/ABHA App/Arogya Setu App/or any other ABDM enabled App) and share their profile details with the hospital. Once the profile is shared, the hospital provides a token number (queue number). The token generated is sent as a notification to the patient’s selected app and is also displayed on the screens placed at the OPD registration counters for the ease of patients. As per their token number, the patient can go to the registration counter and directly collect their outpatient slip (OP Slip) for doctor consultation as their details are already present at the registration counter.

Talking about the benefits of this service, Dr. R.S. Sharma, CEO, NHA said – “Under the ABDM, we’re using technology to simplify processes and make healthcare more efficient. The QR Code based rapid OPD registration service is a step in this direction. It helped over 2200 patients avoid the hustle of long queues with considerably reduced waiting time and minimal time at the registration counter within 15 days of this pilot in LHMC & SSKH. The direct profile sharing has also helped achieve higher level of accuracy in patient records. Our team is working with other health facilities and departments to extend this service and help more patients.”

The ABDM team worked closely with the team of LHMC/ SSKH to set-up the QR Code based faster registration service for their OPD block. Appropriate messaging and kiosk were put up to significantly reduce the waiting time for patients. Further, to assist the patients, support personnel were also posted to help them understand the steps and benefits of using this service. The team also helped the patients create their Ayushman Bharat Health Account or ABHA numbers that shall help them in digitizing their health records. These services will now be extended to more health facilities like hospitals, clinics, diagnostic labs etc. to help the patients save time and efforts.

2-Aug-2022: Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) making steady progress in digitizing and linking health records of citizens with their ABHA numbers

The National Health Authority (NHA) under its flagship scheme Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) is building a comprehensive digital health ecosystem for the country. Since nationwide launch in September 2021, ABDM has achieved significant growth with over 23 crore ABHA numbers (earlier known as Health ID), 1.14 Lakh health facilities registered in the Health Facility Registry (HFR), 33 thousand healthcare professionals under the Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR), 6.6 lakh ABHA app downloads and 3.4 Lakh health records linked to ABHA of individuals.

With more individuals, healthcare professionals like doctors, nurses, paramedics and health facilities like hospitals, nursing homes, wellness centres, clinics, diagnostic labs, pharmacies joining ABDM, digitization of health records at their point of creation is now possible. For digitization of old health records, individuals can use the ABHA app or any other personal health record (PHR) app to scan and save their records. By linking these digital records to their ABHA, individuals will be able to connect with professionals and facilities digitally and get quality and affordable health services irrespective of geographic distance.

Acknowledging the cooperation and active involvement of the respective States & UTs in taking the mission forward and improving access and affordability of healthcare services, NHA will recognize the top performing states/ UTs, districts and health facilities (public as well as private) for their contribution under ABDM. The States/ UTs, districts and health facilities contributing the most in a 50-day period from 01.08.2022 to 19.09.2022 would be recognized during the first anniversary of the scheme under 4 categories as follows:

  • Category A: States/UTs with highest number of health records linked to ABHA(s) in the state/UT from 01.08.2022 to 19.09.2022 per one lakh population.
  • Category B:  Districts with highest number of health records linked to ABHA(s) in the district from 01.08.2022 to 19.09.2022 per one lakh population.
  • Category C:  States/UTs achieving highest percentage saturation in population of HFR and HPR registries in private and public Sector by 19.09.2022.
  • Category D:  Facilities from government and private sector with highest number of health records linked to ABHA(s) in 50-day period from 01.08.2022 to 19.09.2022.

In addition to the above categories, NHA will recognize top performing ABDM integrators (digital health solutions integrated with the scheme) on the basis of number of health records linked to ABHA numbers within 50 days period from 01.08.2022 to 19.09.2022. The top performing integrators from government and public sector shall be recognized in separate categories.

28-Jul-2022: More than 50 digital health services/ applications integrated with Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)

The National Health Authority (NHA) announced expansion of the digital health ecosystem being built under its flagship scheme Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) with successful integrations of 52 digital health applications. In the last two months, additional 12 health service applications completed their integration across various milestones in the ABDM sandbox environment. After a successful demonstration, these applications were added to the ABDM Partners ecosystem. The tally now includes 20 government applications and 32 private sector applications.

On the significance of this milestone, Dr. R. S. Sharma, CEO, NHA said – “The ABDM integrators are our crucial partners in this journey of taking the benefits of digital healthcare delivery to the masses. As more and more existing health applications join the ecosystem, the scope for innovation increases and the system evolves much faster. This integration signifies how the public and private sectors can come together and collaborate to strengthen a digital health ecosystem for the country. We’re looking forward to partnering with more start-ups and health tech innovators.”

Following are the 12 new applications added to ABDM Partners ecosystem after 11th May 2022 (listed category-wise, alphabetically):

  • HMIS (Hospital Management Information System) for Central Government Hospital Scheme (CGHS) and Hospital Management System by NICE-HMS
  • Health Tech solutions like Equal app by Infinity Identity Technologies Pvt Ltd, IHX Claim Management Platform by IHX, Karkinos Application Suite by Karkinos Healthcare Private Limited, Meraadhikar app by Fingoole Technologies Pvt Ltd, nPe Bills & Services app by NICT, Paperplane WhatsApp Clinic by Paperplane Communications Pvt Ltd and HISP-EMR by Society for Health Information System Program (HISP India)
  • Other prominent government solutions like Anmol Application of the National Health Mission by NIC, eSanjeevani AB-HWC by C-DAC Mohali and UKTelemedicine Service for Uttarakhand Government by Dhanush Infotech Pvt Ltd

NOTE: Some products may have features of more than one category of digital health solutions.

As many as 919 health tech innovators are participants in the ABDM Sandbox. Since the nationwide launch of ABDM on 27th September 2021, popular health applications from both public as well as private section have shown enthusiastic participation in the ecosystem. By completing their ABDM integration across three levels, 52 out of these 919 innovators are connecting more users to India’s digital health ecosystem. This collaborative approach towards digitization of healthcare delivery will help India achieve its goal of healthcare for all in the most effective, efficient and affordable manner.

The remaining 40 health tech applications that had completed their ABDM integration before 11th May 2022 are as below (listed category-wise, alphabetically):

  • HMIS systems like Amrit by Piramal Swasthya Management and Research Institute, Athma by Narayana Health Limited, Bahmni by Thoughtworks Technologies, Bajaj Finserv Health for Doctors, Bajaj Finserv Health App by Bajaj Finserve Health Limited, DocOn by DocOn Technologies, DrucareOne by Drucare Pvt Ltd, e-Hospital by NIC, e-Sushrut by Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) Noida, EkaCare by Orbi Health, MediXcel by Plus91 Technologies Private Limited and Medmantra by Apollo Hospitals,
  • LMIS systems like Centralised Laboratory Information Management Systems (CLIMS) by SRL Limited, CrelioHealth by Crelio Health Software and Patient Registration Application by Dr Lal Pathlabs Ltd,
  • Personal Health Records (PHR) apps like Aarogya Setu by National Informatics Centre (NIC), DigiLocker by National e-Governance Division, DocPrime by DocPrime Technologies and DRiefcase by Driefcase Healthtech Pvt Ltd,
  • Health Tech solutions like ALA CARE by Alafied Solutions Private Limited, Curelink by Curelink Private Limited, Doxper by InformDS Technologies Private Limited, Indian Joint Registry (IJR) by NEC Software Solutions India, JioHealthHub by Reliance Digital Health Limited, MarSha Health Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) by MarSha Healthcare, MEDPlat by ArguSoft India Ltd, Paytm by One97 Communications Limited, Practo by Practo Technologies, Pristyn Care by GHV Advanced Care Private Limited, Raxa by Raxa Health Information Services Private Limited and Verraton Health by Verraton Health Pvt. Ltd,
  • and Other health tech solutions developed by Central and State Governments like ANM AP HEALTH app for Andhra Pradesh Medical Staff and EHR by Andhra Pradesh Health and Family Welfare Department, CoWIN by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), CPHC-NCD Software by National Institute of Health & Family Welfare (NIHFW), e-Aarogya by Health Department DNH & DD, e-SanjeevaniOPD by C-DAC Mohali, Integrated Health Management System by West Bengal Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), National Viral Hepatitis Control Program (NVHCP), Nikshay by Central TB Division, Reproductive & Child Health (RCH) Portal and Anmol application of National Health Mission (NHM) by NIC and Transaction Management System (TMS) and Beneficiary Identification System (BIS) of Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) by National Health Authority (NHA)

The ABDM integrations are achieved through ABDM Sandbox (a digital space for experimentation created for testing of integration processes before the digital health product is made live for the actual use). Any digital health service provider/ developer can register on the ABDM Sandbox by following a pre-defined process of integrating and validating their software systems with the ABDM APIs. Currently, 919 public and private sector integrators have enrolled under ABDM Sandbox for integrating and validating their software solutions under the scheme. More information on the ABDM Sandbox is available here: https://sandbox.abdm.gov.in/. The complete list of ABDM partners is available here: https://sandbox.abdm.gov.in/applications/Integrators.

26-Jul-2022: A total of 22,97,64,327 ABHA numbers have been created till 15th July 2022

Government of India launched Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) with an aim to establish National Digital Health ecosystem by creating an online platform, enabling interoperability of health data so as to create longitudinal electronic health record (EHR) of citizens.

Three key registries of ABDM namely ABHA number/Health ID, Health Professional Registry (HPR), Health Facility Registry (HFR) and digital infrastructure for data exchange is created to enable data interoperability across digital health platforms. Creation of ABHA number is voluntary. Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) can be generated for citizens of all age-groups, post a KYC verification.

The ABHA Number generated is permanently assigned to the person as its Unique ID. Till 15thJuly 2022, a total of 22,97,64,327 ABHA numbers have been created. ABHA number can be populated across existing digital health interventions to create longitudinal EHR of the citizen.

Inclusion is one of the core design principles for all ABDM building blocks. For citizens who require assistance for creation of ABHAs, assisted modes have been rolled out. Further, offline ABHA generation module has been rolled out in rural areas wherein interconnectivity is limited or not available.

25-Jun-2022: National Health Authority to host Hackathon Series under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)

The National Health Authority (NHA) will be hosting its first ever open-to-all hackathon series to drive ideation and innovations around the different building blocks in the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) ecosystem. The series will begin with a hackathon - ‘Round 1: Kickstarting Unified Health Interface (UHI)’ slated for 14th to 17th July 2022. The hackathon shall be focussed on the Unified Health Interface (UHI) and would aim at mobilising the health start-up ecosystem in India and bringing together individuals and organisations to develop solutions through UHI.

The hackathon will provide an excellent opportunity for innovators, data experts and developers from all over the world to collaborate and build innovative solutions for providing access to digital health services through UHI.

UHI is designed as an open network to enable the interoperable transaction of digital health services such as teleconsultation. Through UHI, patients can discover, book, conduct and pay for services offered by a variety of participating providers from any application of their choosing. This stands in contrast to the current mode of digital health service delivery, where patients and doctors must transact using a common application or platform.

Announcing the Hackathon Series, Dr. R.S. Sharma, CEO, NHA said “India has enabled creation of some of the most efficient public delivery systems in the world, as has been witnessed through JAM and UPI, by breaking silos and unlocking network effects. ABDM and UHI will enable the same for the healthcare ecosystem and this Hackathon Series will enable players to collaborate and build solutions which define the future of healthcare.  All are invited to participate in creating a better health ecosystem for every Indian”

‘ABDM Hackathon Series - Round 1: Kickstarting UHI’ will focus on two major themes:

  • Innovation Track: Challenge for innovative solutions to power digital health in an open network around various use cases such as teleconsultation, ambulance booking, lab tests, physical consultation booking, lab tests booking.
  • Integration Track: Challenge to accelerate development of applications that are compatible with UHI and integrate these applications with the applications of other such participants to enable digital health transactions on the UHI network.

The tentative prize pool for ‘Round 1 – Kickstarting UHI’ is Rs. 60,00,000*. This shall be awarded to the top performers on each challenge track on the above-mentioned themes. The solutions shall be assessed by an independent jury. Interested participants are requested to register here https://abdm.gov.in/register

*The prizes are tentative; the jury might decide to award fewer or more prizes.

Further, as part of the UHI hackathon, NHA shall be organising masterclasses to further the participants' understanding of the ABDM ecosystem. The details about upcoming masterclasses, challenge statements, prizes under each category and other updates shall be posted on ABDM website - https://abdm.gov.in and UHI portal - https://uhi.abdm.gov.in.

The first round of ABDM Hackathon Series will be followed by a Health Claims Exchange (HCX) Hackathon; the details will be shared on the ABDM and UHI website.

For further details on UHI, the full text of the UHI Consultation Paper, as well as the recording of the UHI Public Webinar may be referred to. They are available for download on the ABDM website at https://abdm.gov.in/publications

13-Jun-2022: National Health Authority (NHA) organised a conclave on Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) – Revolutionizing Digital Health in association with NASSCOM

The National Health Authority (NHA) and NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Service Companies) jointly organized the NHA-NASSCOM Conclave 2022 on Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission – Revolutionizing Digital Health. The Conclave was held in Bengaluru today as a hybrid event with participation of over 400 stakeholders and industry veterans from the healthcare & technology sector as well as investor community in India in physical/ virtual mode.

The chief guest for the event, Hon’ble Minister of Health & Family Welfare, and Medical Education, Govt. of Karnataka - Dr. K. Sudhakar said - “Ayushman Bharat or long life for all Indians can be ensured when quality healthcare can be provided to one and all. This is possible by providing not just the infrastructure but also the technology platform that ABDM envisages to build. This platform will help gradually move the health system from one focused on promotive and preventive health, to one that will also focus on predictive health.”

Sharing his thoughts on Karnataka’s Vision on Digital Health, Dr. Sudhakar added – “During our fight against COVID-19 pandemic, we saw the importance of digital services for healthcare delivery. The impact that teleconsultation, online appointment bookings, readily available health information and access to specialists had on people was unprecedented. We’re positive that the ABDM platform will help us scale the efforts and create a conductive environment with enthusiastic public and private sector participation. We look forward to take up implementation of ABDM in mission mode and give it speed, scalability and support that we can provide at state-level to achieve the ultimate aim of healthcare for all.”

Speaking on the vision behind the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), Dr. R.S. Sharma, CEO, NHA said – “India is standing at the forefront of digital revolution. The world has seen the success story of our country with the largest digital identity program, record adoption of digital payments and more recently, national vaccination program via CoWIN platform. The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission aims to replicate this success in healthcare delivery by building an equitable, accessible and inclusive ecosystem that rides on collaborative efforts of the government and private sector”.

The conclave also saw a special address by Shri Jawaid Akhtar, Additional Chief Secretary to Govt. of Karnataka, Health & Family Welfare Services on the importance of improving healthcare through digital innovations. Dr. Praveen Gedam, Additional CEO, NHA and Mission Director for ABDM elaborated on the opportunities this program presents for the entire ecosystem.

NASSCOM played a key role in gathering thought leaders from the health & technology sector for panel discussions on how to drive usage of digital health and the role of innovators in digital health stack. The panelists included heads of health tech organizations in India (in no particular order) like Arthur D. Little India, Manipal Hospitals, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Royal Philips, Indegene, Quadria Capital, Medi Assist, Tata Elxsi, Narayana Health, DRiefcase, CrelioHealth, Plus91 and EkaCare.

Dedicated sessions were also held on the opportunities under ABDM for the healthcare ecosystem and Unified Health Interface (UHI) & Health Claims Exchange (HCX) as accelerators for digital health. Besides the sessions and panel discussions, health tech innovators Artivatic, Ala Care and Raxa Health also set-up innovation booths at the event venue. The thought leaders concluded the NHA-NASSCOM Conclave 2022 with an exciting brainstorming session on ways to increase the adoption of teleconsultation in India.

5-Apr-2022: Update on Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission

The National Digital Health Mission (now known as Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission-ABDM) was launched as a pilot on 15th August 2020 in six Union Territories– Andaman & Nicobar, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Ladakh, Lakshadweep and Puducherry. Its aim is to establish a National Digital Health Ecosystem by creating an online platform enabling interoperability of health data within the health ecosystem to create longitudinal electronic health record of citizens & facilitate delivery of health services through this Digital Health Ecosystem.

Three key registries of NDHM namely Health ID, Health Professional Registry (HPR), Health Facility Registry (HFR) and digital infrastructure for data exchange have been developed and implemented in these UTs. On 27th September 2021, the national rollout of the ABDM has been announced. As on date, Rs 45 Cr has been released to National Health Authority (NHA) for implementation of ABDM.

Till 28th March 2022, a total of 20,97,55,222 Health IDs (ABHA Number) have been created in the country.

As implementing agency, National Health Authority (NHA) has initiated awareness campaigns in healthcare facilities through IEC materials. As part of outreach activities, multiple SMS campaigns have been launched and webinars with doctors have been organized to raise awareness and increase participation in ABDM.

26-Feb-2022: Cabinet approves implementation of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission with a budget of Rs.1,600 crore for five years

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the national roll-out of Central Sector Scheme, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, with a budget of Rs.1,600 crore for five years. The National Health Authority (NHA) will be the implementing agency of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).

Digital health solutions across healthcare ecosystem have proven to be of immense benefit over the years, with CoWIN, Arogya Setu and eSanjeevani further demonstrating the role technology can play in enabling access to healthcare. However, there is a need to integrate such solutions for continuum of care, and effective utilization of resources.

Based on the foundations laid down in the form of Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and Mobile (JAM) trinity and other digital initiatives of the government, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) is creating a seamless online platform through the provision of a wide-range of data, information and infrastructure services, duly leveraging open, interoperable, standards-based digital systems while ensuring the security, confidentiality and privacy of health-related personal information.

Under the ABDM, citizens will be able to create their ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) numbers, to which their digital health records can be linked. This will enable creation of longitudinal health records for individuals across various healthcare providers, and improve clinical decision making by healthcare providers. The mission will improve equitable access to quality healthcare by encouraging use of technologies such as telemedicine and enabling national portability of health services.

The pilot of ABDM was completed in the six Union Territories of Ladakh, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep with successful demonstration of technology platform developed by the NHA. During the pilot, digital sandbox was created in which more than 774 partner solutions are undergoing integration. As on 24th February 2022, 17,33,69,087 Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts have been created and 10,114 doctors and 17,319 health facilities have been registered in ABDM.

Not only will ABDM facilitate evidence-based decision making for effective public health interventions, but it will also catalyse innovation and generate employment across the healthcare ecosystem.

4-Feb-2022: More than 15 Crore National Digital Health IDs created under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission

The National Digital Health Mission (now known as Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission) was launched on 15th August 2020 as a pilot in six Union Territories - Andaman & Nicobar, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Ladakh, Lakshadweep and Puducherry.

The pilot phase of ABDM was successfully conducted between 15th August 2020 to 27th  September 2021.Three key registries of NDHM namely Health ID, Health Professional Registry (HPR), Health Facility Registry (HFR) and digital infrastructure for data exchange have been developed and implemented in these UTs. On 27th September 2021, the national rollout of the ABDM has been announced.

Till 25th January 2022, 15,05,92,811 Health IDs (now known as ABHA – Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts) have been created in the country. A total of 15,016 health facilities and 8,378 doctors have been registered under ABDM ecosystem.    

Creation of Health ID is voluntary. National Health Authority is creating awareness among the citizens about the usages and advantages of Health ID to maximize participation from citizen.                  

ABHA numbers (earlier known as Health IDs) have been created for those beneficiaries enrolled through CoWIN platform who have provided Aadhaar as the ID proof at the vaccination site only after taking their consent through the vaccinator.

The Information Technology Act 2000 along with policies and guidelines including but not limited to Health Data Management Policy, Sandbox Guidelines etc. published by ABDM from time to time lay down the regulatory and policy framework for the regulation of ABDM.

Besides a part of the funds available at the level of hospitals, Union Health Ministry is also supporting States and UTs in implementation and strengthening of health IT initiatives such as Hospital Management Information Systems, Telemedicine services etc. in public health facilities through National Health Mission.

2021

30-Nov-2021: Status of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission

Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (previously known as National Digital Health Mission) Sandbox is a framework that allows technologies or products to be tested in the contained environment in compliance with ABDM standards. This helps organizations intending to be a part of the National Digital Health Ecosystem to become a Health Information Provider or Health Information User or efficiently link with building blocks of ABDM. ABDM Sandbox is live and functional. As on 22nd November 2021, 655 integrators have been permitted to initiate the integration process. Further details are updated regularly on ABDM’s sandbox website, https://sandbox.ndhm.gov.in/applications/Integrators .

The pilot phase of ABDM was successfully conducted between 15th August 2020 to 27th September 2021. It was started in six Union Territories of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Ladakh, Lakshadweep and Puducherry. Three key registries of NDHM namely Health ID, Health Professional Registry (HPR), Health Facility Registry (HFR) and digital infrastructure for data exchange were developed and implemented in these UTs as Proof of Concept. In addition, an Android based app named NDHM Health Records App (now ABDM) was also launched so that users can view, link and share records among different stakeholders with their consent.

27-Sep-2021: PM launches Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today launched the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission through a video conference.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that the campaign of strengthening health facilities that have been going for the last seven years is entering a new phase today. “Today we are launching a mission that has the potential of bringing a revolutionary change in India’s health facilities”, said the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister underlined the fact that with 130 crore Aadhaar numbers, 118 crore mobile subscribers, about 80 crore internet users, about 43 crore Jan Dhan bank accounts, there is no such big connected infrastructure anywhere in the world. This digital infrastructure is bringing everything from ration to administration (Ration to Prashasan)  to the common Indian in a fast and transparent manner. “The way technology is being deployed in governance reforms today is unprecedented”, said the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister remarked that the Arogya Setu app helped a lot in preventing the spread of corona infection. He lauded Co-WIN for its role in making India achieve a record administration of about 90 crore vaccine doses today, under the free vaccine campaign.

Continuing with the theme of the use of technology in health, the Prime Minister said that there has also been an unprecedented expansion of telemedicine during the Corona period, so far about 125 crores, remote consultations have been completed through e-Sanjeevani. This facility is connecting thousands of countrymen living in far-flung parts of the country every day with doctors of big hospitals of cities while sitting at home, said the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister remarked that Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY has addressed a key headache in the lives of the poor. So far more than 2 crore countrymen have availed the facility of free treatment under this scheme, half of which are women. The Prime Minister emphasized that diseases are one of the key reasons to push families into the vicious cycle of poverty and women of the families are the worst sufferers as they always relegate their health issues to the background. Shri Modi said that he has made it a point to personally meet some beneficiaries of Ayushman and he has experienced the benefits of the scheme during the interactions. He said, “these healthcare solutions are a big investment in the present and future of the country.”

The Prime Minister said Ayushman Bharat – Digital Mission, will now connect the digital health solutions of hospitals across the country with each other. The Mission will not only make the processes of hospitals simplified but also will increase ease of living, he added.  Under this, every citizen will now get a digital health ID and their health record will be digitally protected.

The Prime Minister informed that India is working on a health model that is holistic and inclusive. A model which stresses preventive healthcare and, in case of disease, easy, affordable and accessible treatment. He also discussed unprecedented reforms in health education and said a much larger number of doctors and par medical manpower is being created in India now as compared to 7-8 years ago. A comprehensive network of AIIMS and other modern health institutions is being established in the country and work on establishing one medical college in every three Lok Sabha constituencies is going on. He also talked about strengthening health facilities in villages and informed that in the villages, primary health centre networks and wellness centres are being strengthened. More than 80 thousand such centres have already been operationalized, said the Prime Minister.

Noting that today's program is being organized on World Tourism Day, the Prime Minister remarked that health has a very strong relationship with tourism. Because when our health infrastructure is integrated, strengthened, it also improves the tourism sector.