The National Medical Commission (NMC) has directed all medical colleges in India to make Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHA) IDs mandatory for patients seeking medical attention. This directive is part of a broader effort to enhance patient access to digital health records and provide a more accurate assessment of the number of patients treated by medical institutions.
Starting from the academic year 2025-26, decisions regarding medical college assessments, including the allocation of seats for undergraduate and postgraduate courses, annual renewals, and recognition by the NMC, will be based on the registration of patients through ABHA IDs.
The creation of ABHA IDs is a simple process that can be facilitated with an Aadhaar card. However, it is important to note that no patient will be denied treatment due to the absence of an ABHA ID.
The implementation of ABHA IDs for patients is expected to address the issue of ‘ghost patients’ and improve transparency in the healthcare system. Previously, there were concerns about inflated patient numbers due to the inclusion of fictitious names. By authenticating patients through ABHA IDs, the NMC aims to ensure that only genuine patient records are counted.
Additionally, the collection of patient data through ABHA IDs will provide valuable insights for healthcare policymaking. The government will be able to determine the distribution of patients across regions, identify prevalent health issues, and make informed decisions regarding interventions and resource allocation.
While the benefits of ABHA IDs are significant, concerns regarding consent and data privacy have been raised. The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) emphasizes ‘privacy by design,’ but the practical implementation of consent among the majority of poor patients remains to be seen. According to government officials, electronic medical records are stored securely by healthcare providers, and ABDM only facilitates secure data exchange between authorized stakeholders with the patient’s consent.
Public health experts have highlighted the importance of large-scale health information for customizing healthcare policies and making data-driven decisions. However, they emphasize the need to protect patient privacy through measures such as de-identification and aggregation, ensuring that anonymized information is used for research and policymaking.
