Health, Sanitation & Nutrition

Digital healthcare refers to the use of information and communications technologies (ICT) in medicine and other health professions to manage illnesses and health risks and to promote wellness. Digital health has a broad scope and includes the use of wearable devices, mobile health, telehealth, health information technology, and telemedicine. For India, digital healthcare presents potential as an enabler for overall improvement of health outcomes, such as:

• Health for All:

• It can ensure availability and accessibility, in remote areas through tele-consultation by using the networks of PRIS, ASHAS, SHGs and ANMs.
• It can bring affordability by providing cashless treatment to the poor by connecting them to health insurers such as- PM Jan Aarogya Yojana.

• Effective implementation of schemes and policies: Access to health data will enable government to strengthen the implementation of health programmes and policies through geography and demography-based monitoring and decision making.
• Enabling citizens to make informed decisions: Through correct information and sources, citizens can overcome challenges such as finding the right doctors, seeking appointment, payment of consultation fee etc. to avail the best possible healthcare.
• Improving quality of care: Electronic Health Records (EHRs) by putting patients’ information in digital form at one place, can help the doctor make an accurate prognosis in a shorter time.
• Digital Innovations: Artificial Intelligence based future solutions can accurately do diagnosis of various diseases besides automating and helping in various processes, thus hringing down the requirement for healthcare professionals.

However, there are various challenges in the path to realization of the huge potential of digital healthcare in India, such as:

• Structural and functional challenges:

• Transforming traditional system: Digitization of hospital governance along with patients’ record and a common platform for both public and private hospitals for sharing information are required. National Digital Health Mission can go a long way in tackling this challenge. •
• Digital divide: Many rural and tribal areas in India have low internet penetration, low digital literacy and lack of digital health infrastructure. This will require investment in health infrastructure and capacity building programmes to train health workers like ASHAS and ANMs.
• Government Hospital Infrastructure: A 2018 report on Adoption of EHR, had highlighted the shortage of ICT infrastructure with only a few major public hospitals having computers and connectivity.

• Data privacy: Digital health records can be misused by the private healthcare sector, diagnostic labs in the absence of access to a quality public healthcare system. Dealing with ethical issues, breach of privacy, and dealing with social stigma are significant challenges.
• Adoption and resistance: Patients and doctors across the globe have shown reluctance in fully adopting e-Health. Companies not only have to prepare the best technical systems but also make sure that they are easy to understand.
• Human Resources: There is a need to hire healthcare professionals with the right skills in e- health so that they are well equipped to carry out the task of providing health care remotely.

In this context, the National Health Policy 2017 envisages creation of a digital health technology ecosystem such as National Health Stack along with other measures, which are aimed at tackling various challenges and achieving SDG 3 i.e. ensuring health to all.