Health Ministry & Quality Council of India Partner to Improve CGHS Healthcare Services

The partnership outlines a comprehensive approach that will address several key areas. The primary focus will be on enhancing the quality of services offered through systematic interventions.

The Ministry of Health and the Quality Council of India (QCI) have announced a five-year collaboration to improve Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) healthcare services

The partnership aims to provide high-quality healthcare services to an estimated 42 Lakh CGHS beneficiaries, thereby ensuring that the scheme becomes the role model for efficient healthcare in India.

The partnership outlines a comprehensive approach that will address several key areas. The primary focus will be on enhancing the quality of services offered through systematic interventions.

Sharing thoughts, Manashvi Kumar, joint secretary, Ministry of Health, said "This is a historic moment. The collaboration marks the beginning of a quality overhaul of the CGHS ecosystem which has commitment from the highest level of the government of India. CGHS must become the role model for healthcare in India."

Benefitting CGHS Beneficiaries

The MoU aims to support CGHS facilities in achieving accreditation by the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH)/National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).

Further, the collaboration is expected to build the capacity of healthcare providers to deliver high-quality services.

Moreover, the agreement emphasizes the importance of technology in achieving the desired transformation and lays the groundwork for collaboration on additional initiatives to further improve the CGHS ecosystem.

Measures to ensure the quality of drugs and storage facilities, alongside modernization of procurement and inventory management systems will also be a crucial aspect along with a focus on the modernization of infrastructure, products, and processes.

Furthermore, to ensure regular review and evaluation, quality monitoring mechanisms will be established.

"With an aim to provide a complete overhaul of the CGHS system through third-party assessments and the implementation of transformation initiatives, this collaboration will also focus on expanding the network of qualified healthcare providers and laboratories empaneled under CGHS," the statement added.

According to a statement, this partnership aims to deliver a more robust, efficient, and transparent CGHS system, ultimately improving the healthcare experience for beneficiaries.

Talking about the collaboration, Jaxay Shah, chairperson, QCI, said “By leveraging QCI's expertise in quality improvement methodologies and MoHFW's deep understanding of the healthcare landscape, we can implement a comprehensive transformation plan. This will not only enhance service delivery but also empower beneficiaries with greater trust and confidence in the CGHS system."

Previous CGHS Developments

Days back, Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra unveiled the myCGHS app, which is designed specifically for the iOS ecosystem.

The app facilitates various services, including booking and cancellation of online appointments, downloading the CGHS card and index card, accessing lab reports from CGHS labs, checking medicine history, and verifying medical reimbursement claim status.

Earlier, the government mandated the compulsory linking of the CGHS beneficiary ID with the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) ID for the digital integration of healthcare services.

This initiative falls under the ambit of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) which aims to streamline various government health schemes onto a unified digital platform.

The directive, outlined in an office memorandum signed by Manoj Goel, director, CGHS, underscores the importance of creating a digital health identification system for CGHS beneficiaries and storing their health records digitally under ABDM.