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The National Medical Commission (NMC) is advancing India’s healthcare system’s digitalization by advocating for the registration of patients treated in medical colleges under a unique ABHA ID. This move, discussed and decided upon during the 11th meeting of the Apex Medical Commission on October 18, 2023, aims to streamline patient data through the Health Management Information System (HMIS).
In a recent circular addressed to medical colleges nationwide, the NMC emphasized the significance of the ABHA ID, highlighting its role in providing dependable clinical data crucial for training undergraduate and postgraduate medical students. This digital documentation not only enhances the validity of assessments but also facilitates rating procedures, according to the NMC.
To enforce this directive, the Apex Medical Commission has instructed all medical colleges to establish the necessary infrastructure in their hospitals for seamless generation of ABHA IDs for patients seeking treatment. The circular stressed the importance of prioritizing ABHA ID registration requirements above other protocols.
The NMC previously reminded medical colleges about the mandatory implementation of HMIS, directing compliance with these directives. Colleges without HMIS were instructed to initiate its implementation in their medical college hospitals by October 10, 2022.
This effort towards digitalizing healthcare has been ongoing, with the NMC announcing plans earlier in the year to create a National Medical Register for all registered medical practitioners. This register, replacing the existing Indian Medical Register (IMR), will assign a unique ID and registration number to each doctor in India, linked to their Aadhar numbers. This step was formalized through the “Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine Regulations” published in the Gazette of India on May 10, 2023.
