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New Delhi, October 7, 2024 — At the Google for India event earlier today, the tech giant unveiled its robust strategy to revolutionize healthcare across the country by harnessing the power of technology and artificial intelligence (AI). With a diverse and vast population, India stands at the precipice of a digital health transformation, and Google is committed to driving this change through three pivotal areas: strengthening health infrastructure, empowering health consumers, and enhancing healthcare delivery.
Strengthening Health Infrastructure
Google’s research team is playing a crucial role in supporting the National Health Authority (NHA), which oversees the Government of India’s Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). By providing thought leadership and developing open-source tools, Google aims to simplify the integration process with the ABDM architecture. Previously, these integrations could take up to six months; however, thanks to Google’s contributions, they can now be completed in less than two weeks.
A cornerstone of the ABDM initiative is the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA), a universal health ID designed to facilitate easy access and sharing of health-related information, such as lab reports and prescriptions. In collaboration with Eka Care, an authorized issuer of digital health IDs, Google plans to make ABHA ID cards accessible via Google Wallet starting next year. This initiative will benefit over 600 million ABHA ID holders, allowing them to conveniently access their health information directly from their smartphones. To ensure the privacy of this sensitive data, users will be required to authenticate their devices using a fingerprint, PIN, or passcode.
Empowering Health Consumers
Google’s efforts to advance digital health adoption build upon ongoing initiatives to enhance existing platforms for consumers, caregivers, and communities. As part of this initiative, Google has partnered with leading healthcare providers to develop over 800 health Knowledge Panels on its Search platform, available in both English and Hindi. Additionally, health-related content covering prevalent conditions such as diabetes, cancer, depression, and anxiety will now be accessible through dedicated shelves on YouTube in both languages.
To further assist individuals during vulnerable moments, Google is expanding its hotlines on Search, offering support in multiple Indian languages in collaboration with various partners. This will ensure that critical health resources are more widely available.
Partnering on Healthcare Delivery
Google is leveraging its AI capabilities to enhance healthcare delivery in India. By partnering with the medical ecosystem, Google aims to streamline healthcare processes. For example, the Clinical Intelligence Engine, developed by a Google Cloud customer using Vertex AI, summarizes patients’ medical histories and offers real-time clinical insights to doctors. This enables healthcare professionals to make informed, data-driven recommendations while safeguarding patient privacy.
Innovative AI applications are also being explored for disease detection. The Indian respiratory healthcare platform Swaasa® is utilizing Google’s HeAR bioacoustics foundational model to detect tuberculosis through cough sounds. In another initiative, Apollo Radiology International aims to conduct 3 million AI-powered screenings for tuberculosis, lung, and breast cancer in underserved communities using Google’s AI models.
Looking Ahead
Recognizing the immense potential of technology and AI in supporting lifelong health journeys, Google Health reaffirms its commitment to providing solutions that address diverse needs and settings at scale. By collaborating with India’s healthcare ecosystem, Google is poised to improve access to quality healthcare and promote healthy living throughout the country and beyond.
As India embarks on this digital health journey, Google stands ready to support and innovate, ensuring that the benefits of technology and AI reach every corner of the nation.
