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Experts have hailed launch of National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) as a move towards patient centric care with Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launching it while addressing the nation on India's 74th Independence Day.
In his address to the nation, Modi said the initiative will revolutionise health sector in India. Such platform has become a need of the hour to serve as a focal point of the healthcare ecosystem.
"Every Indian will get a health ID card. When they visit a doctor or a pharmacy, or a lab, all the details will be registered in this health card," Modi said.
Under the scheme, each patient will be given an ID card on which confidential medical data, such as prescriptions, diagnostic reports will be stored. During his speech, PM Modi also paid tribute to the country’s corona warriors, who have been “relentlessly” fighting against COVID-19.
Talking about the launch, Gautam Chopra, CEO & co-founder, BeatO said, “The NDHM will now ensure a continuum of care, keeping the patient at the centre. This is a big step in getting the ecosystem of providers, insurance and digital health players to work together and make Indian healthcare accessible, affordable, standardized and patient centric. The NDHM will change the way healthcare is consumed and provided in India. It is the right time especially for digital health companies to look at it as a service to our nation as well as a huge opportunity. Hence, this is also a unique opportunity and privilege for health technology start-ups like BeatO who are building for India and making in India to play an important role in our country’s transformation movement.”
Through the Health ID card, information of patient history, diagnosis, medicines etc. things will streamlined and will be centralised. The NDHM will make sure the fragmented ecosystem of providers and insurers can now come together and work more efficiently. This will allow for more standardization across the ecosystem, predicting healthcare demand and supply much better. Being such a core and integral aspect, it is but imperative that healthcare be a key cornerstone in the mission of Atmanirbhar Bharat. In this mission, digital health will be the only way to reach a large population at affordable costs."
Commenting on the announcement, Dr. Harshit Jain, founder & CEO, Doceree said, "The announcement of NDHM by Prime Minister is a step towards further fuelling digitization in Indian healthcare. The digitized interoperable health ecosystem puts patients at the centre stage and provides power in their hands in the form of Unique ID for availing quality care and gaining better access to healthcare facilities and doctors.”
Jain added, “The government’s thrust on personal health records accessible through a unique ID validates the very fact. Use of machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques to analyse the data generated from the records will help learn disease patterns, predict onset of ailments and suggest seasonal outbreaks, bringing efficiencies and effectiveness in healthcare. In the later phases, the introduction of telemedicine and e-pharmacy will bring a lot more inclusivity. In the real sense, NDHM will take quality healthcare to rural masses and bridge the yawning divide which until now existed between urban and rural India.”
Sharing his perspective, Satyendra Johari, founder & chairman, Johari Digital Healthcare Ltd said, “PM Modi's renewed focus on 'AtmaNirbhar Bharat' and 'Vocal for Local' shows the seriousness of the Indian government to become self-reliant. NDHM will digitize an individual’s medical records which can be seen as an enabler for an effective teleconsultancy and seamless cash transfer benefits under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. It will improve transparency and help the transformation of the Indian Healthcare sector.”
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