Discuss the significance of interoperable health records in improving healthcare delivery in India. What challenges remain in achieving universal ABHA coverage?

Q. Discuss the significance of interoperable health records in improving healthcare delivery in India. What challenges remain in achieving universal ABHA coverage? (15 marks, 250 words)

Under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), the ABHA — a 14-digit health identity — has crossed 90 crore accounts, up from 14.7 crore in 2021 [1]. As Digital Public Infrastructure for health, interoperable records promise to convert scattered paper trails into a citizen-centric continuum of care.

Significance of interoperable health records - Continuity of care: consent-based linking lets records move with the patient across primary, secondary and tertiary levels, cutting duplicate tests and diagnostic delays [1]. - Efficiency & cost: registries (HPR, HFR) plus the National Health Claims Exchange digitise claims, reducing transaction costs and fraud [1]. - Equity & inclusion: women form nearly half of ABHA holders, narrowing the gendered access gap [1]. - Evidence-based policy: longitudinal data strengthens disease surveillance and resource allocation [2]. - Empowerment: portable records give patients ownership and mobility, especially migrants.

Challenges to universal ABHA coverage - Uneven saturation: Uttar Pradesh crossed 15.3 crore while smaller and poorer states lag, requiring Centre-state coordination [1]. - Digital divide: literacy, smartphone and connectivity gaps in rural areas limit real usage. - Account ≠ record linkage: ID creation outpaces actual digitisation of health records, risking hollow numbers. - Privacy & consent: sensitive data demands robust safeguards under the DPDP Act, 2023 [2]. - Provider onboarding: incomplete integration of facilities and professionals weakens interoperability.

Interoperable records are foundational to Universal Health Coverage and SDG-3. Bridging the digital divide, deepening genuine record linkage and strengthening consent architecture can transform ABHA from a vast ID base into a truly connected health ecosystem.

(~250 words)

Sources: 1. Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission Crosses Landmark Milestone of 90 Crore ABHA Accounts, PIB (May 2026) — 90 crore ABHA, ABHA definition, state-wise skew, women share, claims exchange, continuity of care 2. PM to launch Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission on 27th September, PIB (2021) — longitudinal records for universal health coverage, consent-based data architecture