Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission: Revolutionising Healthcare in 2024
Exploring ABDM’s impact and entrepreneurial prospects within India's healthcare system
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This week on Eximius Echo, we explore the transformative Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), which has been developing an integrated digital health infrastructure for India. ABDM bridges gaps among healthcare stakeholders through digital highways, enabling secure sharing of electronic health records, telemedicine services, and seamless data exchange.
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Launched in 2021 by PM Modi, the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) aims to revolutionise India's healthcare through a centralised digital repository. It introduced the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) Number for accessing and sharing health records digitally. Currently, over 62 crore ABHA Numbers have been issued, with more than 3 lakh Healthcare Professionals registered.
ABDM has enabled consent-based access and exchange of longitudinal health records for over 580 million citizens, transforming healthcare delivery. In 2024, it continues fostering a seamless digital ecosystem, empowering patients with data control, and facilitating efficient collaboration among stakeholders. ABDM unlocks new frontiers, driving improved outcomes, accessibility, and a sustainable healthcare system.
ABHA Number: Central to India's Digital Health Infrastructure
At the heart of ABDM is the ABHA Number (previously known as Health ID), a unique identifier assigned to every citizen, similar to an Aadhaar number. The ABHA number links all personal health records, allowing for swift data sharing with healthcare providers. The integration of healthcare providers, diagnostic centres, pharmacies, and insurance companies into this centralised system has enhanced the efficiency and accessibility of healthcare services in India. It ensures that patients' health records are always accessible, promoting continuity of care and better health outcomes.
The Shift Towards Digital and Preventive Healthcare
Awareness of value-based and preventive healthcare is rising in India, driving the adoption of digital health solutions. The Indian health tech market is estimated to reach $25 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 39%. This growth, fueled by ABDM, is ushering in healthcare innovation and opportunities for various startups as well.
Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated digital health adoption, highlighting the need for remote and accessible services. Since ABDM's digital infrastructure facilitates data exchange, it enables startups to develop innovative solutions like telemedicine platforms, remote monitoring tools, personalized health apps, and predictive analytics models.
The Six Pillars of ABDM
ABDM stands on six foundational pillars, each representing a critical aspect of the healthcare revolution, representing opportunities for healthcare startups to build upon:
Digitising and Managing Health Records: Digitisation and secure storage of health records form the core of ABDM. Startups are essential in this process, creating user-friendly solutions for digitising records. eka.care, for example, has made significant progress in this area.
Building and Sharing Analytics: With ABDM's comprehensive data repository, startups can facilitate longitudinal health data analysis, enabling extensive clinical research and better healthcare outcomes. This data can aid insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, and public health policy-making. With the rise of Gen AI, there is a possibility to better analyse and utilise the data that gets generated by the ABHA Number to create more tailored outcomes.
Subscription-Based Healthcare: ABDM allows startups to create subscription-based models offering holistic plans tailored to individual needs, reducing costs for patients and optimising resource utilisation for healthcare providers. Subscription-based plans further enable insurance companies to design OPD insurance.
Health Facility Verifiers: Startups can help verify healthcare providers registered on the ABDM platform, ensuring accurate information and fostering trust in digital health services.
Self-Health Management Apps: Startups can develop apps that assist with post-consultation care, health trackers, diet reminders, prescription adherence, and interactive appointment nudges, integrating with wearable devices for real-time monitoring.
Telemedicine and Remote Consultations: ABDM has also significantly advanced telemedicine, bridging the gap between urban and rural healthcare access and enabling remote consultations.
The Future of Healthcare in India
As ABDM expands, HealthTech startups will become integral to a more collaborative digital health environment. ABHA Number enabling portable electronic medical records will boost startups like telemedicine platforms. With them capturing full medical histories, telemedicine will become more robust.
ABDM has also created a national registry of legitimate doctors and facilities, addressing India's issue with fake practitioners and enhancing trust. While comprehensive IDs promise improved treatment and preventive care, ABDM is currently building on this foundation to unleash the full potential of a digitally-empowered healthcare ecosystem, driven by innovative HealthTech startups.
Global Recognition and Future Prospects
India's digital health initiatives under ABDM gained global recognition at the World Health Assembly in May 2024. This achievement showcases India's remarkable progress in leveraging technology for public health, setting a benchmark for other nations. ABDM's success underscores India's commitment to accessible, equitable, and sustainable healthcare through digital transformation.
We believe that ABDM's impact will extend beyond its current achievements, paving the way for a future where technology and healthcare converge seamlessly, empowering individuals, driving innovation, and improving citizens' well-being. We hope to see more innovative startups emerge in this space to contribute India’s pursuit of universal healthcare through technological advancements.
If you're an entrepreneur in the HealthTech space seeking support in the early stages, we're eager to hear from you. Reach out to us at pitches@eximiusvc.com.