Transforming India’s Healthcare: Digitize Health Records

The gap between healthcare delivery and digitization is narrowing daily. Global health systems have continued to evolve, especially in the area of information technology (IT) penetration. In India, where 1.6 million people die due to poor quality health care, more stakeholders in the health sector are increasingly searching for solutions to address quality and cost issues. Hence the need to adopt digital technologies in health systems to drive enhanced clinical outcomes and improve multi-faceted access and delivery for patients. Health spending has continued to grow in India at an average rate of 6.91 percent annually, owing largely to an aging population that requires increased medical attention.

India’s Digital Health Mission: Introducing Electronic Health Records

One of the most important areas of collaboration between health systems and digitization is the patient consent documentation process, which is currently being digitized by IT providers in the health sector.

This hybrid empowers the patient with the right knowledge for informed decision-making while creating awareness through digital tools. This digital consent for hospitals also bridges the gap of seamless communication between health workers and patients.

Keeping these facts in mind, India's first integrated personal health record (PHR) mobile application, named DRiefcase, was developed under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).

DRiefcase has recently launched its first-ever ad campaign, #ReportKoReportKaro, to raise awareness about the importance of digitizing health records. The ad film features prominent actor Rajendra Chawla and showcases the ease and convenience of managing health records on the DRiefcase app.

DRiefcase : Comprehensive Patient Health Card

DRiefcase sets itself apart by offering a seamless user experience and allowing users to upload their records via email or at-home scanning services. The brand also ran a social media contest, inviting funny captions from the audience, to create awareness and engagement. With over 3.5 million video views, the campaign received significant participation from over 500 unique participants.

This digital revolution is enhanced due to physical restrictions imposed by the pandemic. However, increasing smartphone and Internet penetration, and initiatives like the government-run National Digital Health Mission are collectively responsible for the accelerated pace of health systems digitization in India.

There’s also a proposed plan for a National Health stack by the Indian government to bring diverse stakeholders, such as hospitals, government, insurers, and TPAs (Third Party Administrators) under one roof. This will certainly enhance networking and the seamless exchange of electronic health data.

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The complexities of medicine make it untenable for different players to work in silos. Hence, it is expected that these digital platforms will provide the needed push and catalyst for the wholesome digital revolution that India needs in its health sector.

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Source-Medindia