Impact of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)

The future we long envisioned for health care is here. India's health care system stands on the brink of a digital revolution, with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) at the forefront. ABDM is built around a simple idea--bringing your health data into one convenient and accessible digital location. The impact of this mission is already tangible, marking a significant shift in how health care services are delivered and experienced.

Today, if you visit the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) New Delhi for an out-patient appointment, instead of standing with a thick file of your medical records, you can scan a QR code to instantly share your medical records with us. Within minutes, you will get an automatically generated token number for your appointment on your phone. When this number is displayed on the screen, you will be called in to see the doctor. The positive reception from patients confirms that this service is a success.

The ‘Scan and Share’ system we use at AIIMS was introduced by the government in 2022, under the ABDM. The system integrates all your medical records, files, prescriptions, and reports, and links them to an Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) Number. For hospitals, it allows us to quickly and accurately access patients’ medical information--with their consent--and ultimately deliver the high standard of care. This means patients can effortlessly search for the healthcare providers, conveniently access their health documents and easily register for appointments. Within just two years of launch, nearly 4 crore scans and tokens have been created across India. Within the ABHA ecosystem, AIIMS Delhi continues to be the leader, with over 18 lakh tokens, nearly 7.5 lakh ABHA IDs, and 6.4 lakh health records linked so far. The rapid adoption of the service speaks volumes about how useful patients find it to be.

For AIIMS New Delhi, where we treat about 45 lakh patients every year, the digitalisation ushered in by ABDM has come as a boon. Managing such high patient volumes presents immense challenges for most public hospitals in our country. However, by integrating with ABDM, we have streamlined the registration process, allowing our doctors to treat scores of patients quickly and with fewer errors. When patients come to us, we use ABHA to automatically schedule their appointments. During tests or treatments, the system enables us to deliver prescriptions and diagnostic reports to patients using their ABHA IDs, providing them with immediate access to their results.

Our swift integration with ABDM is a result of our belief that the utilisation of digital innovation in healthcare is no longer just a possibility, but a necessity. In the same spirit we are making payments hassle-free. Once a patient is admitted at AIIMS New Delhi, they are automatically issued a free AIIMS-SBI card. They can deposit money in this card, use it for any patient related services and, after their treatment is over, receive the remaining amount in their bank account or in cash. Due to this, patients no longer need to worry about how much cash to carry, as funds can be transferred easily from across India by anyone in case an urgent payment requirement arises.

Looking ahead, we have begun exploring the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to transform patient experience. Currently, we use AI for the automatic validation of reports, which lets us process almost 50% of reports without manual intervention. With 90,000 reports generated daily at our Smart Lab, this makes a world of difference. As we continue to embrace these innovations, upholding the highest standards of digital transparency and cybersecurity remains our priority.

So far, over 65 crore ABHA IDs have been voluntarily created across India, with more over 40 crore health records linked to the system. With patients’ consent, this immense and growing repository of health information should be used by hospitals to give their patients the best possible experience – quicker appointments, more accurate treatments, swift diagnoses, and accessible reports. At AIIMS in New Delhi, we have seen first-hand how aligning ourselves with ABDM creates a more efficient and patient-centric system. With this approach, we can not only address today's health care challenges but also work towards a future where patients are empowered, informed, and served well.

This article is authored by Dr M. Srinivas, director, AIIMS, New Delhi.