The national health authority announced the integration of the ayushman bharat health digital mission with the Adhaar card and the arogya setu app. This step was claimed as a landmark of the beginning of the digitizing health sector in India. Through the unique health identity generated by the ABHA, patients can claim several benefits of the system and connect with organizations, doctors, and other healthcare societies.
The merger of the healthcare system with the Arogya Setu application can allow citizens to access their health records and gain valuable services from the national digital health system. Although the system has several benefits and advantages for the beneficiaries and the service providers, several challenges are also faced. Let us look at the challenges faced by the system.
What is ABHA, and what is the current position of the system?
ABHA is a unique personal number generated through the digital health ID. Once the 14-digit number of the ABHA is generated, the patients can add their health records to the system and access the health records whenever required. Different information can be linked to the system, like prescriptions, lab reports, and hospital records, and shared with healthcare service providers and professionals.
The ABHA IDs can be generated using the driving license and the Adhaar card. With more than 21 crore registered users on the platform, the module’s integration enhances the number of ABHA IDs on the portal.
What does the ABHA offer?
The objective of the ABHA id is apparent. The aim is to tilt the focus of healthcare towards digitization. The plan is to make the healthcare system more easily accessible and equitable to the users. Integrating the Arogya Setu app intends to bring positive changes in healthcare outcomes. Moreover, the ABHA id also aims at improved citizen participation.
The best advantage of the ABHA id and the national health card is digitally maintaining and securing health records. The platform will provide readily accessed data to doctors, patients, services, and other healthcare providers worldwide. Therefore sometimes, due to physical and economic challenges, people living in rural regions need access to healthcare services. ABHA could help to bridge the gap among the people. The Ayushman Bharat health card will drive convenience for all, leading to better health outcomes.
The sharing of health records is available only after the individual provides consent. The data can be anonymized and can be used for research and analysis. When more and more people digitize their healthcare records, data generation can serve as real-time feedback. It can be used for various healthcare schemes and interventions. ABHA is designed for the patients and healthcare segments and provides an excellent opportunity for policymakers and health tech organizations.
Potential pitfalls of ABHA
The Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) is a unique health ID system introduced by India’s National Health Authority. While the system has the potential to revolutionize the healthcare sector, concerns and pitfalls also need to be considered.
1. Concerns regarding the health ID system
India’s ambitious National Health Stack includes the development of the unique health ID known as the ABHA, which stands for Aadhaar-based health authentication. However, there are several concerns regarding implementing the health ID system. One of the primary concerns is the central storage of health-related data. Most health records, lab tests, and other related information are paper-based in India. Without a proper solution for the digital healthcare system, directly jumping onto building the system would lead to losing funds.
2. Risk of personal data misuse
Another significant concern regarding the ABHA system is the risk of personal data misuse. Healthcare reports are very personal and are most likely to be misused. The data stored in the central location can be stolen anytime and sold to other people who might misuse it. Although ABHA access is currently voluntary, there are high chances that someday it will be made mandatorily accessible to users, similar to the Aadhaar card. This could lead to some parts of the population being excluded from the central health digital system.
3. The limited reach of digitalization
Furthermore, unlike other countries, the mobile penetration of the citizens of India is lower. As a result, the benefits of digitalization will not reach rural people and people experiencing poverty. It may take years for them to realize the importance of healthcare digitization. Therefore, implementing the ABHA system will lead to a gap in access to healthcare services between the digitally empowered and the digitally challenged population of the country.
Benefits of ABHA
The Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) is a unique health ID system introduced in India’s National Health Stack initiative. ABHA aims to facilitate digitizing healthcare records, making them easily accessible and centrally available to patients, healthcare providers, and the government. While there are concerns about implementing the ABHA system, there are also potential benefits it could bring to the Indian healthcare sector.
1. Improved access to healthcare services
The ABHA system could enhance access to healthcare services for individuals living in remote areas. With the digitization of healthcare records, patients can quickly get their medical information with a unique ID, reducing the need for physical visits. This could be particularly beneficial for those who live far from healthcare facilities, have mobility issues, or lack transportation.
2. More efficient and cost-effective healthcare
With the ABHA system, doctors and medical professionals can access a patient’s medical history, which will help diagnose illnesses more accurately and quickly. This could lead to more efficient and cost-effective healthcare. Additionally, electronic health records can reduce paperwork, allowing doctors to spend more time with patients.
3. Improved public health
The ABHA system could improve public health by facilitating disease surveillance, tracking, and monitoring. With a central database, it will be easier to identify disease outbreaks and quickly respond to them, reducing the spread of infectious diseases. The system could also facilitate research on public health trends, leading to improved health outcomes for the population.
4. Increased transparency and accountability
The ABHA system could increase transparency and accountability in the healthcare sector. Tracking medical treatments and expenses will be easier, and the government can monitor healthcare providers’ performance to ensure they are meeting healthcare standards. This could potentially reduce healthcare fraud and improve the quality of healthcare services.
Final Words
A lot of space is still available to fill the healthcare space. ABHA is a push in the right direction, and more people are adopting the technology of the national health card India for better results. Although proper digitalization of the healthcare system will take years to build correctly, it will be exciting to see how the ABHA technology and the digital health card system evolve to provide better advantages to Indian citizens.