The National Digital Health Mission (NDHM), is a mission which was started on August 2019. This mission will hold every Healthcare systems together across the country to provide a centralized healthcare system.
Another initiative like Ayushman Bharat, it will be a revolution for the Healthcare systems across the country. Implemented by the National Health Mission, this mission is purely technology based and AI (Artificial Intelligence) initiated.
Need for a Centralized Health Data
The National Health Policy in 2017 proposed the main idea of a Centralized Health ID. The policy aimed at improving quality and access as well as lowering the cost of the healthcare.
On July 2018, National Health Stack was organized which focused on the developing the digital infrastructure as a database for whole nation. It aimed at making the health insurance more transparent and robust.
In this digital era, where all our information and services are digitalized, the need for a digitalized unified health data was realized.
All the information about yourself regarding health will be digitalized and there are many components of this mission.
NDHM – Components ID CARD :
An ID card will be provided to all the citizens of India. Secondly, health ID will consist of a 14 unique ID number. The ID card will ome in the form of a mobile application. It will contain details like: name, family details, mobile number, DOB, gender, Email ID, personal health records, prescriptions, treatment diagnostic report, and disease history. This ID card will be linked to the health facilities across the country.
With this ID card one can avail services from both private and public hospitals. Doctors will be available to see your information regarding your previous treatment, also you will get to know about the medical cost and facilities increasing the transparency in our healthcare systems. In this way, government can keep track of the healthcare services across the country.
Digi Doctor:
It is one of the pillars of NDHM. It will contain all the information about a doctor, regarding their qualification, specialization and work experience. This will prevent the cheating on the patients by crooked medical practitioners.
Health Facility Registry : With this component you can search the health facility available in your country. Both private and public hospitals can be accessed through this component.
NDHM Health Records: This will contain all the information of the respective patient. This will be a maintainable record.
Electronic Medical Records: This will contain all the medical history of a patient. Records like clinical details of a patient. This data will be shared only on the consent of the patient.
Advantages of NDHM:
1) Provide greater convenience to the patient by providing him the information about the medical facilities, treatment, etc. Just all through by a single access by a phone.
2) Reduce overall expense, as there would be transparency in the healthcare system, private hospitals cannot exploit a patient.
3) Quality and accountability, with the information about doctors and medical facilities, one can always access the quality based systems across the country.
4) Health insurance policy will be more dynamic and robust.
5) More reach to the areas with less or no medical facilities like that of rural areas.
Disadvantages of NDHM:
1) There is a danger of data misuse by the insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies.
2) Digitalization can lead to ethical breaches and threats to privacy due to hacking.
When the world is adapting with new technologies and upgraded healthcare systems, it’s time for us to move with that. There are certain disadvantages regarding the privacy issues. But, the government must find a way to counter the attacks on the privacy of every situation. With health systems digitalized, government can take measurable steps to tackle the ailments and diseases within the country.
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