All you need to know about the NDHM
Healthcare
Image Source: Health Tech Magazine
What is NDHM?
On our 74th independence day, PM Modi announced the NDHM, a healthcare scheme which will partner with citizens, doctors and healthcare providers to create a digital health ecosystem
Some of the digital products available under the scheme would be:
Health ID
Telemedicine
E-pharmacy
Health services registry
Personal medical record
Digi-doctor
What is a Health ID?
Under NDHM, every citizen will get a Health Card with a Health ID that will store their health profile and medical history including details of all the treatments, medicines or tests prescribed to them by doctors. This Health ID will allow the patients to share data with hospitals or doctors digitally.
But what about consent?
It is an entirely VOLUNTARY scheme — right from enrolling in the scheme to sharing data; nothing will happen without individual consent. Individuals who do enroll don’t even have to connect it to their Aadhar unless they want benefits of other Aadhar-linked government health schemes. Individuals can also choose with whom they would want to share the information and for how long.
Think of it as a bank account but for health that you can use for getting doctor appointments, reports, medicines and even payments.Imagine not having to carry any paper documents of medical history while visiting a doctor ever.
The scheme will also have medical stores, insurance companies, e-pharmacies and telemedicine services on board at a later stage. Your entire health system at the tip of your fingertips!
This citizen-centric scheme aims to strengthen the accessibility and equity of health systems and get India one step closer to Universal Health Coverage.
What do you think could be some of the benefits of this scheme? And some things the government should be careful about while implementing the scheme?