About:

• The National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) aims to develop the backbone necessary to support the integrated digital health infrastructure of the country. 
• It will bridge the existing gap amongst different stakeholders of the Healthcare ecosystem through digital highways.
• The platform will be available in the form of an app and website.
• The Digi Doctor option will allow doctors from across the country to enrol and their details, including their contact numbers if they want to provide them, will be available.
• These doctors will also be assigned digital signatures for free which can be used for writing prescriptions.
• It will be voluntary for the hospitals and doctors to provide details for the app.
• NDHM shall create a seamless online platform “through the provision of a wide-range of data, information and infrastructure services, duly leveraging open, interoperable, standards-based digital systems” while ensuring the security, confidentiality and privacy of health-related personal information.

Objectives:

• To establish registries at appropriate level to create single source of truth in respect of clinical establishments, healthcare professionals, health workers, drugs and pharmacies;
• To create a system of personal health records, based on international standards, easily accessible to individuals and healthcare professionals and services providers, based on individual’s informed consent;
• To promote development of enterprise-class health application systems with a special focus on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals for health;
• To adopt the best principles of cooperative federalism while working with the States and Union Territories for the realization of the vision;
• To ensure that the healthcare institutions and professionals in the private sector participate actively with public health authorities in the building of the NDHM, through a combination of prescription and promotion;
• To ensure national portability in the provision of health services;

Benefits:

• The implementation of NDHM is expected to significantly improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and transparency of health service delivery overall. 
• NDHM will provide choice to individuals to access both public and private health services, facilitate compliance with laid down guidelines and protocols, and ensure transparency in pricing of services and accountability for the health services being rendered.
• Better quality of macro and micro-level data will enable advanced analytics, usage of health-biomarkers and better preventive healthcare. 
• It will also enable geography and demography-based monitoring and appropriate decision making to inform design and strengthen implementation of health programmes and policies.

Why in News?

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare visited National Health Authority (NHA) to conduct a high-level review of the implementation of the flagship health protection mission, Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana(AB PM-JAY) and National Digital Health Mission (NDHM).

References:

1. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1676081
2. https://www.nhp.gov.in/national-digital-health-mission-(ndhm)_pg