Digital Health ID Card: How to Apply & Key Features

Over the past few years, India has made significant strides towards digitalisation, including healthcare. One such step is introducing the unique health ID card under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).

As an Indian citizen, you can receive a unique health identification number by registering for the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) . You can use the 14-digit ABHA ID to store all your health records digitally in one place. You can even allow doctors, hospitals, pharmacists, diagnostic services and insurance companies to directly access your health records using your unique ABHA ID number.At the click of a button, you can conveniently upload details of your past illnesses, treatments, doctor prescriptions, diagnostic tests, medical reports, medical bills, etc. Also read: 5 Benefits of Health Insurance

Optional card:

The government has yet to mandate citizens to register for the digital ID card. However, you can voluntarily enrol for it.

Access with consent only:

You can use your health ID card only to maintain records without providing access to anyone else. This feature eliminates one of your main worries about data privacy. No one can check your medical records without your explicit consent. So, you can be confident that it is a trustworthy repository.

Mandatory registration for doctors and hospitals:

Apart from your consent, hospitals and doctors must enrol on the Health Facility Registry (HFR) and the Health Professionals Registry (HPR) before accessing the database, adding an extra layer of data safety.

Keeping digital copies of all medical records:

The new Health ID securely stores all your health-related information in one place. It is a dashboard where you and healthcare professionals can access your health information whenever you need it, provided you give your consent.

Data security:

All your health-related records are end-to-end encrypted with the Digital Health ID card, making it impossible for anyone to access the data without your permission. The government is also looking to remove personal identification information before using the health data for public health research, policy-making and disease surveillance, among others, per reports.

Centralised data storage:

You may have encountered similar health database portals of healthcare companies or pharmacies. These portals allow you to create an account and upload your prescriptions, test reports, etc., to access them at your convenience. However, unlike ABHA, these are not centralised databases. They may also have certain rules or restrictions on the type of medical information you can store.

Adding a nominee:

Adding a nominee in the dashboard to manage and access your records on your behalf is another important advantage of the Digital Health ID card. For instance, this feature can prove helpful if you are hospitalised and unable to access the records.

Flexibility in data storage:

You have complete control over the kind of data you want the Digital Health ID card to store. Based on your needs and convenience, you can voluntarily add, keep, or permanently delete the data.

Easy accessibility:

Another Digital Health ID card benefit is that its information is easily accessible from any platform, including a smartphone, desktop, etc.

In a few quick steps you can generate a health ID card:

1. Visit the National Digital Health Mission's official website at www.healthid.ndhm.gov.in.
2. Keep your Aadhaar card number and mobile phone close by for verification and select the "Generate Health ID" option from the top menu.
3. You must choose between using your mobile number, driving licence, or Aadhaar card to register.
4. Once you choose, it takes you to a new page where you must enter your 14-digit Aadhaar number or mobile number. Before submitting, be sure to carefully read the declaration information listed at the bottom of the page.
5. Enter the six-digit OTP (one-time password) you receive on your registered mobile number and hit submit.
6. On the next page, you enter your personal information, including name, age, and medical history. Additionally, you create a username and password. You can use this username to log into the Health Information Exchange and Consent Manager.
7. Submit the necessary documents on the next page, such as identification proof.
8. The portal issues the health ID once the documentation is complete.

If you register using your driving license:

Submit your details, and you will get an enrolment number. Keep a note of this number and submit it to a local participating facility, which will issue your Digital Health ID.

If you want to deactivate your Health ID, follow these steps:

• Login to the NDHM official website.
• Generate an OTP via your Aadhaar number, mobile number or driving license.
• Navigate to 'My Account' and click 'Deactivate/Delete Health ID'. Finally, select 'Continue' to successfully deactivate your ID.

Also read: Guide on the basics of Health Insurance

• ABHA ID is the government's optional health ID card under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
• All your medical records can be stored in your Ayushman Bharat Health Account using your unique 14-digit health identification number.
• Using the health ID card number, you can upload documents related to all your medical treatments, such as doctor prescriptions, diagnostic test reports etc.
• You need not worry about data privacy as all the data is end-to-end encrypted.
• Your doctor or pharmacist can digitally access all your health records at the click of a button from anywhere, but only with your consent.
• The registration process is simple. For verification, you can get the health ID card online using your Aadhaar card or mobile number.
• Most importantly, the health ID card comes free of cost.