India’s Digital Health

 

1. Recently, The World Economic Forum (WEF) published an article named ‘India Can Be a Global Pathfinder in Digital Health’.
2. It highlighted India’s potential to lead in developing a global digital healthcare system.
3. It also mentioned that India is making significant steps in digital health by using technologies such as telemedicine, electronic health records (EHRs), & AI-driven diagnostics to bridge the healthcare gap between urban and rural areas.
4. India’s progress is being seen as a model for other developing countries, especially in building resilient healthcare systems.
    

What is Digital Health as per WHO ?
 

As per World Health Organisation (WHO), digital health is the field of knowledge and practices associated with the development and use of digital technologies to improve health.
 

Components of Digital Health:
 

1. Digital Health Applications:
    
   1. EHRs (Electronic Health Records): Digital systems to maintain patient records.
   2. Telemedicine: Remote healthcare consultations via digital platforms.
   3. Wearable Devices: Devices to monitor health metrics like heart rate, blood pressure, and activity levels.
   4. Health Information Systems: Platforms for managing and exchanging health data across institutions.
      
       
2. Digital Health Technologies:
   1. Artificial Intelligence (AI): Used for diagnostics and predictive analytics.
   2. Big Data: Analyzing large datasets to identify health trends and patient patterns.
   3. Internet of Medical Things (IoMT): A network of interconnected medical devices that communicate with each other to monitor patient health.
   4. Augmented Reality (AR): Used in medical training and surgery planning.
       

Prominent Features of India’s Digital Healthcare System (As Highlighted by WEF)
 

 

1. Interoperability and Standardization:
    
   1. Ensuring smooth data exchange across different systems and stakeholders.
   2. Examples:
      • Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM): Aims to create a national digital health ecosystem using Unique Health IDs for patients.
      • CoWIN Platform: Managed over 2 billion doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and set a global benchmark for digital health systems.
      • Other Platforms:
        • U-Win Portal for COVID-19 vaccination.
        • Aarogya Setu App for contact tracing.
        • e-Hospital application for online healthcare services.
           
2. Public-Private Collaboration:
    
   1. Promoting partnerships between the public and private sectors to improve healthcare delivery.
   2. National Digital Health Mission (NDHM):
      • The Health Facility Register (HFR) standardizes data exchange between private and public healthcare facilities.
         
3. Affordability and Accessibility:
    
   1. Digital tools are being used to make healthcare more inclusive and accessible, particularly in rural areas.
   2. Examples:
      • e-Sanjeevani Telemedicine Service: Provides telemedicine services to remote areas, offering millions of consultations.
      • National Tele Mental Health Programme (Tele MANAS): Provides mental health support across the country via digital means.
         

Concerns Associated with Digital Healthcare
 

Concern	Solution
Standardization Issues with Digital Health Cards	- Create a unified platform for all health cards (e.g., ESIC, PM-JAY). - Develop interoperable systems for seamless data migration between different health card systems.
Limited Digital Literacy & Access in Rural Areas	- Invest in digital literacy programs, especially in rural and underserved areas. - Increase access to smartphones, internet, and digital healthcare tools via government programs or subsidies.
30% of healthcare institutions in India suffer from poor data connectivity, impacting healthcare delivery	- Improve infrastructure and invest in better data connectivity solutions for healthcare institutions. - Develop offline solutions or hybrid models that work well even with poor connectivity.
Cybersecurity Risks and Unauthorized Data Access	- Strengthen cybersecurity frameworks, protocols, and monitoring systems within healthcare systems. - Regularly update and audit data security measures to prevent breaches.
AI Bias in Healthcare Example: In the US, AI systems in healthcare prioritized healthier white patients over sicker black patients due to the way AI was trained on cost-based data.	- Ensure AI models are trained on diverse and representative datasets. - Implement fairness and transparency audits for AI systems used in healthcare. - Include mechanisms for continuous monitoring and adjustment of AI algorithms to ensure equity in healthcare.
Example: 2022 AIIMS Cyber Attack Exposing Data of 4 Crore Patients	- Enhance backup systems and response protocols for cyber-attacks. - Adopt end-to-end encryption and multi-factor authentication for access to sensitive health data.

 

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