The Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission ABDHM is a national health initiative launched by the Government of India in September 2021. It is the continuation of the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, initiated in 2018. The goal of ABDM is to establish a unified digital health ecosystem in India. This will be accomplished through the creation of a unique Digital Health ID for every citizen, which will be connected to their health records.

Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission UPSC is one of the most important topics for the UPSC IAS Examination.

In this article on Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission UPSC, we shall discuss its features, components, objectives, and significance while also discussing the features and significance of the Ayushman Bharat Yojna, which was launched in 2018. This will be very useful for aspirants in preparing Static GK for UPSC Prelims Exam.

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What is Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission?

Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission (ABDHM) is a national health initiative. The Government of India launched this in September 2021. It is the next step of the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, which was launched in 2018. 

• ABDM aims to create a unified digital health ecosystem in India. This will be achieved by creating a Digital Health ID for every citizen. This ayushman bharat digital health id card will then be linked to their health records. This will allow for seamless sharing of health records across different healthcare providers. This will improve the quality of healthcare and make it easier for patients to access healthcare.
• The National Health Authority (NHA) is the implementing agency of ABDM.
• The pilot project of ABDM was announced on August 15th, 2020. It is currently being implemented in six states and union territories.
• ABDM has the potential to revolutionize India's healthcare system by making it more efficient, accessible, and affordable.

Also, read Healthy States Progressive India Report here.

Background of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission

• The National Health Policy (NHP) 2017 aims for the highest level of health and wellbeing for everyone, focusing on preventive and promotive healthcare in development policies.
• It also strives for universal access to quality healthcare without causing financial hardship.
• To achieve the NHP's digital goals, a committee led by Shri J. Satyanarayana was formed under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• This committee created the National Digital Health Blueprint (NDHB) as a comprehensive digital health implementation roadmap.
• The initiative to implement this in a mission mode is the Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission (ABDHM).
• ABDM's goal is to create the necessary infrastructure for integrated digital healthcare, bridging gaps among various stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystem through digital pathways.

Vision of ABDHM

To create a national digital health ecosystem that supports universal health coverage in an efficient, accessible, inclusive, affordable, timely and safe manner. It should also provide a wide-range of data, information and infrastructure services, duly leveraging open, interoperable, standards-based digital systems, and ensures the security, confidentiality and privacy of health-related personal information.

Source: Government of India

Objectives of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission

• This mission will simplify the process of hospitalization, thus automatically enhancing the ease of living of citizens.
• Through this mission, the enhanced focus on strengthening the healthcare facilities in India to the masses has entered a new phase.
• It will create a seamless online platform ‘through providing a wide range of data, information and infrastructure services, thus fully leveraging upon the open, interoperable, standards-based digital systems.’
• This objective shall be achieved while also maintaining the security, privacy, and confidentiality of health-related personal information.
• This mission also aims to promote further the prospects of an efficient, accessible, inclusive, affordable, timely, and safe healthcare system in India.
• It also aims to establish a state-of-the-art digital health system and manage the core digital health data and infrastructure.
• It aims to enforce the adoption of open standards by all national digital health stakeholders.
• Also, to establish a system of personal health records based on international standards and easily accessible to individuals and healthcare professionals while being based on an individual’s consent.
• It also aims to promote the prospects of ‘Cooperative and Competitive Federalism’ while working with the States and Union Territories to realize its vision.
• It aims to ensure national portability in the provision of health services and to promote the use of clinical decision support (CDS) systems by health professionals and practitioners.
• It further aims to ensure effective steps are being taken to ensure healthcare quality and strengthen existing health information systems by ensuring their conformity with the defined standards and integration with the proposed UHID Ecosystem.

Study the Health Care Delivery System in India here.

Principles of Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission

• The Government will develop and operate the Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission (ABDHM), following the principles outlined in the NDHB.
• ABDM's guiding principles in the health domain include focusing on wellness and real-time access to personal health records to strengthen wellness centers and mobile screening teams.
• ABDM aims to educate and empower individuals to access various health and wellness services, emphasizing mass awareness through appropriate platforms and Health Apps.
• The systems of ABDM will be designed to be inclusive, with specialized systems reaching out to digitally illiterate, remote, hilly, tribal, and "unconnected" areas.
• The Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission (ABDHM) will adhere to the India Enterprise Architecture Framework (IndEA) in its development.
• ABDM's building blocks will naturally align with and follow IndEA, and the Agile IndEA Framework established by MeitY will guide the design and development efforts.
• All components within ABDM will adhere to open standards, prioritize interoperability, and be based on Open Source Software products and open source development.
• The policy on Open Standards and Open Source Software by MeitY, GoI, will influence the design of building blocks and procurement decisions, ensuring inherent interoperability.
• The ABDM will adopt a Federated Architecture approach in all its aspects.
• While certain Core Building Blocks will be centrally developed and maintained, others will operate in a federated model, accommodating regional, state-level, and institution-level platforms to function independently yet interoperate effectively.
• ABDM will store data close to its point of origin, as defined in its framework.

Building Blocks of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission

Health ID

• Health ID will prove critical to standardize the process of beneficiary identification across various healthcare providers.
• This will also ensure that the medical records of a particular individual are issued to the correct individual and accessed by the designated Health Information User with proper consent.
• This Unique Health Identification Number (UHID) will be issued after collecting basic demographic, location, family, and contact details.
• This UHID will then identify and authenticate people and thread their health records across multiple systems and stakeholders.

Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR)

• HPR is an extensive directory containing information about all the healthcare professionals, including the ones from the modern and the traditional systems of medicine involved in delivering healthcare services.
• Registering in this registry will ensure that healthcare professionals are connected to India’s digital health ecosystem.

Health Facility Registry (HFR)

• HFR is an extensive directory containing information about all the healthcare facilities in India, including the ones from the modern and the traditional systems of medicine.
• It will include hospitals, clinics, diagnostic labs, imaging centres, pharmacies, etc., both from private and public modes.
• Getting themselves registered in this registry will ensure that the healthcare facilities are connected to India’s digital health ecosystem.

Personal Health Records (PHR) System

• It is an electronic record of various health-related information of a beneficiary, which also complies with nationally recognized interoperability standards.
• These records can be accessed from multiple sources but can only be managed, shared, and controlled by that individual.
• The PHR system will ensure that an individual can manage information related to his healthcare and includes various information like longitudinal records, lab reports, entire health-related data, treatment details, and discharge summaries across single or multiple healthcare facilities.

Benefits of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission

The Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission will:

• Reduce the instances of fake medical certificates and health records.
• Improve the diagnosis and prognosis/treatment of beneficiaries.
• Promote the health and well-being of vulnerable populations.
• Reduce out-of-pocket healthcare expenses.
• Optimize government spending on healthcare initiatives.
• Expand beneficiary outreach.
• Plug fund leakages.
• Enhance household spending on education, housing, sanitation, and water facilities.
• Achieve maximum human development.
• Reap the benefits of India's demographic dividend.
• Realize the vision of Aatma-Nirbharta.
• Project India as a Vishwa-Guru.
• Align with the government's renewed emphasis on Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, and Sabka Vishwaas.

Also, read the National Mental Health Programme here.

Concerns Related to Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission

Here are some concerns related to Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission (ABDHM):

• The digitization of health records raises concerns about the privacy and security of patient data. There is a risk of data breaches and unauthorized access to patient records. This could compromise patient privacy.
• ABDM may not be accessible to citizens who do not have access to digital connectivity. The government must address this issue by providing access to digital connectivity in remote areas.
• Some healthcare professionals may resist the use of ABDM. They may be concerned about the time and effort required to digitize their records. The government will need to address these concerns. They should ensure that healthcare professionals are supported in the transition to ABDM.
• Many people may need to be aware of ABDM or how it will benefit them. The government must raise awareness of ABDM and its benefits to ensure people can use it.
• The implementation of ABDM will be a costly exercise. The government will need to ensure that the costs of ABDM are sustainable and that the benefits of ABDM outweigh the costs.

How India has been emphasizing a renewed healthcare system in the last few years?

• In the last few years, India has been working extensively to develop a healthcare system that is both holistic and inclusive.
• For this, schemes like Ayushman Bharat Yojna have been launched under which Rs 5 Lakh health insurance is provided to over 50 crore citizens of India.
• Also, to support such initiatives, there has been an increased thrust on promoting the role of the private sector in the healthcare system, primarily through the PPP Mode, to make the healthcare system more accessible, affordable, modern, and citizen-friendly.
• These initiatives are supported by promoting the set-up of medical colleges, with the Government of India setting the target of opening at least one medical college in every three Loksabha constituencies.
• The healthcare model of India has been stressing promoting preventive healthcare while also providing affordable, accessible, and modern treatment in case of a disease.
• An extensive network of AIIMS and other such world-class hospitals is being established to fulfill the demands of this renewed healthcare model of India.

Study the National Health Policy here.

Extensive Use of Digital Infrastructure in the Healthcare Sector

Digital infrastructure has been used extensively in the healthcare sector recently in the following ways:

• To link the Aadhaar card, mobile number, bank account, and healthcare insurance of millions of Indians. This has made it easier for the government to track the health of its citizens.
• To successfully detect Covid patients through the Arogya Setu app. The app uses Bluetooth technology to track the movements of people infected with COVID-19. 
• To administer over 90 crore doses of vaccine through the Cowin portal. The portal uses the Aadhaar card to verify users' identity and track their vaccination status.
• To grow the telemedicine sector in India. Telemedicine platforms like e-Sanjeevani have allowed doctors to provide consultations to patients remotely. This has increased access to healthcare services for people living in rural and remote areas.

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Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission UPSC Government Scheme: Download PDF Here!

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