Aarogya Setu 2.0 to drug registry: Govt to launch various digital healthcare initiatives on June 29

The revamped Aarogya Setu 2.0 app is built on the Covid experience and provides a gateway to multiple digital health services through a single platform, Health Ministry said. | Photo Credit: SOMASHEKARA GRN

A series of digital initiatives in the health sector, including the Aarogya Setu 2.0 - a personal health record application (PHR) for citizens- will be unveiled on Monday, June 29, by Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare; and Chemicals & Fertilizers, JP Nadda.

The initiatives being launched include “citizen-facing applications, provider-focused solutions, interoperability frameworks, registries and data standards,” according to the Health Ministry. And they are expected to “enhance accessibility, efficiency and interoperability across the healthcare ecosystem while benefiting citizens, healthcare providers, insurers, technology innovators and policymakers alike,” it added.

The revamped Aarogya Setu 2.0 app is built on the Covid experience and provides a gateway to multiple digital health services through a single platform, the Ministry said. “The application enables creation and management of ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account), access to and sharing of digital health records, consent-based health information exchange, AI-powered health insights and smart health reports, wearable device integration, OPD registration through Scan & Register, hospital payments through Scan & Pay, medication reminders and family health management,” it said.

Furthermore, it said, the app would help locate nearby healthcare facilities and doctors, ambulance services, blood banks with blood unit availability, and Jan Aushadhi Kendras.

In addition to this, the application provides access to PM-JAY services, including search for PM-JAY empanelled hospitals, access to AB PM-JAY wallet etc, along with access to other healthcare services, the note added.

The enhanced Ayushman app will also serve as a one-stop digital platform for beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) health insurance scheme. “The upgraded application will enable beneficiaries to access essential scheme-related services, including eligibility verification, Ayushman Card services, treatment history, hospital discovery, grievance redressal and beneficiary support,” it said.

Also being launched is Ayushman Sarathi, a WhatsApp chatbot for beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, to deliver PM-JAY services through a conversational interface.

The Ministry also pointed to the National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX), a digital public infrastructure for health claims processing, that would enable standardised exchange of health claims information between providers and payers across public and private health insurance programmes - reducing administrative burden and facilitating faster and more efficient claims processing, it said.

A Unified Health Interface (UHI) is also being dedicated to the nation, the note said. It enables digital applications to connect citizens with healthcare service providers through a common framework, facilitating easier discovery and access to healthcare services.

The e-Sushrut Clinic will be unveiled “as a plug-and-play clinic management solution that enables healthcare providers to digitise clinical workflows, maintain electronic health records and seamlessly integrate with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission ecosystem,” it said.

A “Drug Registry” will also be launched to standardise medicine-related information across the healthcare ecosystem, it said. “By enabling uniform coding of medicines across digital health applications, the registry will strengthen prescribing, dispensing and healthcare data exchange,” it said.